1. Background. The purpose was to determine whether
optimism
predicts lower rates of rehospitalization following coronary artery
bypass
graft surgery through 6-months postsurgery.
2. Methods. A prospective, inception cohort design was
used. The sample consisted of all consenting patients (N = 309)
from
a consecutive series of patients scheduled for surgery at a large,
metropolitan
hospital located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. To be eligible,
patients
could not be scheduled for any other coincidental surgery (e.g., valve
replacement), and could not be in Cardiac Intensive Care or
experiencing
angina at the time of the referral. Participants were
predominately
male (70%) and married (80%), and averaged 62.8 years of age.
Recruitment
occurred between January 1992 and January 1994.
3. Results. Compared to pessimistic persons, optimistic
persons were significantly less likely to be rehospitalized for a broad
range of aggregated problems (including postsurgical sternal wound
infection,
angina, MI, and the need for re-bypass surgery or percutaneous
transluminal
coronary angioplasty) generally indicative of a poor response to the
initial
surgery (odds ratio = .50, 95% confidence interval, .33 to .76, P
= .001). The effect of optimism was independent of traditional
sociodemographic
and medical control variables, as well as independent of the effects of
self-esteem, depression, and neuroticism. All-cause
rehospitalization
also tended to be less frequent for optimistic than pessimistic persons
(odds ratio = .77, 95% confidence interval, .57 to 1.05, P = .07).
4. Conclusions. Optimism predicts a lower rate of
rehospitalization
following coronary artery bypass graft surgery. Fostering
positive
expectations may promote better recovery.
Carver Home
Graduate
Scheier, M. F., Matthews, K. A., Owens, J. F., Schulz, R., Bridges, M.
W., Magovern, G. J., Sr., & Carver, C. S. (1999).
Optimism
and rehospitalization following coronary artery bypass graft surgery. Archives
of Internal Medicine,159, 829-835.