Postcoronary Perceptions in Older and Middle-Aged Women

Abstract

The purpose of the study is to identify the perceptions of middle-aged and elderly women related to family functioning, psychosocial and physiological health states, and life satisfaction; and to investigate if these perceptions vary with age. The women had experienced postcoronary events of angina, myocardial infarction, or coronary artery bypass surgery. Women (N = 42) between the ages of 38 and 64 were placed in the middle-aged group; women (N = 33) aged 65 and over comprised the older group. Olson's Family Adaptation and Cohesion Scale, F Copes, Family Strengths, Family Esteem, Rosenberg's Self-Esteem Scale, Varvaro's Role Adjustment Scale, Emotional Concerns, Perceived Health Assessment and Risk Protection Survey, Self-Care Activities and Leisure Time Activities List, and Olson's Quality of Life Scale were the data gathering instruments for the study. Results indicated that the older-aged women, when compared to the middle-aged women, had significantly different perceptions regarding increased perceived pride and accord, less perceived problems with postheart disease adaptation, less emotional concerns, more health adaptive behaviors, and higher perceived life satisfaction. Varying significantly with age were perceived family strengths, role adjustments, health adaptive behaviors, emotional concerns, and life satisfaction. In conclusion, it is noted that most of the middle-aged and older women demonstrated adaptation in striving to maintain a sense of normalcy in perceived family functioning, family esteem, self-esteem, and self-care and leisure time activities.