Effect of Peer Support Intervention on Early Recovery Outcomes Post Coronary Artery Bypass Graft Surgery

University of Calgary185 enrolled

Overview

Recovery from coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery is a complex process involving physical recuperation and psychological adjustment. The high prevalence of postoperative depression in this population may threaten optimal recovery. Peer support over the recovery period has promise to mitigate this threat. The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of a professionally-guided telephone peer support intervention on recovery outcomes including depression, social support and health care resource utilization. In a randomized controlled trial, 185 male CABG surgery patients randomly assigned to an intervention (n=61) or usual care (n=124) group. Participants in the intervention group received weekly telephone calls from a peer volunteer over 6 weeks post discharge. At hospital discharge and at 6 and 12 weeks follow up, depression was measured using the Beck Depression Scale-II, social support was measured using the Shortened Social Support Scale and health care resource utilization was measured using items in the Postoperative Self Report of Recovery Questionnaire. Participants in the intervention group were also asked questions about their perceptions regarding peer support using the Peer Support Evaluation Inventory.

Study Type

INTERVENTIONAL

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Masking

SINGLE

Enrollment

185

Conditions

Cardiovascular Disease

Interventions

Eligibility

Sex: MALEMin age: 36 YearsMax age: 87 Years

Medical Language ↔ Plain English

Inclusion Criteria: * English speaking * \> 35 years of age * undergoing first-time traditional (sternotomy approach) CABG surgery * an uncomplicated postoperative course * standard length of hospital stay (four to eight days) * had a telephone in the home * able to hear telephone conversation. Exclusion Criteria: * had cardiac surgery procedures other than CABG surgery * resided in a nursing home or long term care facility * had any neurological or psychiatric disorder that may have impeded ability to self reflect or communicate * had emergent cardiac surgery * had sustained in-hospital post surgical complications of major significance (i.e., stroke, GI bleed, cardiac tamponade, renal failure, cardiac arrest, major sepsis of any origin, deep sternal wound infection, myocardial infarction with significant hemodynamic compromise)

Locations (3)

Sudbury Regional Hospital

Greater Sudbury, Ontario, Canada

Southlake Regional Health Centre

Newmarket, Ontario, Canada

Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre

Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Outcomes

Primary Outcomes

Post operative depression

A disorder of mood characterized by sadness and loss of interest in usually satisfying activities, a negative view of the self and hopelessness, passivity, indecisiveness, suicidal ideations, loss of appetite, weight loss, sleep disturbances, and other physical symptoms. Some or all of these symptoms may be present, and depression can be categorized as mild, moderate, or severe/major according to scores measured on the Beck Depression Inventory II (BDI-II) (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Health Disorders - Fourth Edition) (DSM-IV criteria).

Time frame: 6 weeks

Post operative depression

Time frame: 12 weeks

Secondary Outcomes

Perceptions of recovery

Includes biophysical recovery, return to activity, and return to social roles; perceptions focused on the absence or resolution of physiological and/or psychosocial clinical symptoms. (Perceptions of recovery were measured by the Postoperative Self-Report of Recovery Questionnaire (PSRRQ) over 12-weeks post-discharge.

Time frame: 6 and 12 weeks

Perceptions of social support

Resources provided by others that can take the form of emotional support, instrumental aid, information, and positive feedback as to one's importance, capabilities or self worth. Social support was measured using the Shortened Social Support Scale (SSSS).

Time frame: 6 and 12 weeks

Health services utilization

The consumption of health services (emergency room visits, regularly scheduled and unscheduled family physician visits and readmission to hospital) to meet health care needs as defined by the patient or the health care professional. This was measured by the number of health care visits/readmissions to hospital over 12-weeks post-discharge using the Postoperative Self Report of Recovery (PSRRQ).

Time frame: 6 and 12 weeks