Assessment of stressful life events of adult patients with ischemic heart disease in Baghdad City

الملخص EN

Objectives : 1-To find out the relationship between stressful life events and socio-demographical characteristics (age, gender, marital status, and socioeconomic status) of adult patients with ischemic heart disease.

2-To assess the stressful life events of adult patients with ischemic heart disease (IHD) in Baghdad city.

Methodology : A descriptive study was carried out at three cardiac hospitals (Ebn-Alnafis, Ebn-Albitar, and Iraqi center for heart diseases).

Starting from 15 of December 2011 to 4 of July 2012.

A nonprobability (purposive) sample of 180 patients that diagnosed with IHD who were admitting to medical or surgical ward of the above listed hospital were selected according to the criteria of the study sample.

A questionnaire was adopted and developed from the social readjustment rating scale of Holms and Rahe (1967) and consist of (67) items.

The content validity of the instrument was established through penal of 34 experts.

Reliability of the stressful life events was determined by test-retest method which was estimated as average (r = 0.916).

Data was gathered by interview technique using the questionnaire format and data was analyzed by application of descriptive and inferential statistical methods.

Results : the results reveal that the majorities of study group were (60-69) years old, married, illiterate, and low socioeconomic status.

The result indicated that the stressful life events play importance role in occurrence of IHD.

Conclusion : the majority of the IHD patients are male, married and illiterates.

There is a highly significant relationship at p < 0.01 between stressful life events and occurrence of IHD in adults.

Recommendations : increase the individual awareness about stress management, maintain supporting therapies, training efficient confrontation strategies for stressful factors, prediction the stressful life events, coping strategies, and adaptation to its, relaxation technique, improving individual's social support systems through group therapy, family therapy, and training communication skills can reduces the effects of stressful life events.