Determination of the relationship between alexithymia, spiritual well-being, and quality of life in patients with coronary artery disease

English (OpenAlex)

Determination of the relationship between alexithymia, spiritual well-being, and quality of life in patients with coronary artery disease C ardiovascular diseases (CVD) are the prominent cause of death, which induce the deaths of approximately 17.9 million people worldwide each year.[1] Coronary artery disease (CAD), one of the CVDs, is a prevalent clinical syndrome that is a global health priority, and the burden of disease is increasing at a threatening rate worldwide.The disease reduces the quality of life (QoL), increases mortality and morbidity, and creates an enormous burden on the general health system.[2] The basic pathology in CAD formation is atherosclerosis of the coronary arteries.Lipid disorders, thrombosis, inflammation, vascular smooth cell activation, endothelial dysfunction, oxidative stress, altered matrix metabolism, and genetic factors play a role in the development of atherosclerosis.[3] CAD is a chronic issue that negatively affects QoL in both daily life and frequent and repeated long-term hospitalizations.[4] Studies have demonstrated that QoL is low in CAD and further decreases especially in untreated patients.[5,6] Besides, a low QoL is a substantial indicator of negative health outcomes, morbidity, and mortality in CAD.[7] Recent studies have revealed that negative psychological factors (anxiety, depression, and chronic stress) also play a major role in CAD and the emergence of disease-associated complications.[8][9][10][11] Among the negative psychological factors, "alexithymia" is generally described as an emotional gap.[12,13] Individuals with high alexithymia recognize emotions based on their biological components, but they show inadequate Objectives: In this research, it was aimed to determine the predictors of quality of life (QoL) in coronary artery disease patients.Methods: This descriptive and cross-sectional research was carried out with 345 coronary artery disease patients in the cardiology clinic of a university hospital.The data were collected by using the Patient Information Form, Toronto alexithymia scale-20 (TAS-20), Spiritual Well-being Scale (SWBS), and heart QoL scale (HeartQoL).Results: The mean age of the patients was 60.71±11.88years in this study.The average total scores of the scales were TAS-20 56.81±14.81,SWBS 109.35±19.44,and HeartQol 1.46±0.69,respectively.HeartQol was predicted by the number of children (β=-0.672),occupation (β=9.154),social security (β=5.957),following diet program regularly (β=3.452),regular walking (β=2.981), and TAS-20 (β=-0.184). Conclusion:The presence of alexithymia in coronary artery disease patients might affect the QoL adversely.Within the extent of holistic care, it is of great importance for nurses to diagnose alexithymic patients and to plan supportive interventions for this patient group for improve QoL.