Coping Strategies and Stress in Patients with Unexplained Chest Pain
Author Information
Author(s): Jerlock Margaretha, Gaston-Johansson Fannie, Kjellgren Karin I, Welin Catharina
Primary Institution: Institute of Health and Care Sciences, The Sahlgrenska Academy, Göteborg University, Sweden
Hypothesis
The study aims to describe general coping strategies in patients with unexplained chest pain and examine the relationships between these strategies and various psychosocial factors.
Conclusion
Patients with more intense unexplained chest pain tend to use emotive coping strategies more frequently.
Supporting Evidence
- Emotive coping was related to chest pain intensity with a correlation coefficient of r = 0.17.
- Women used emotive coping strategies more than men, with a significant p-value of 0.05.
- Physical activity was found to decrease the use of emotive coping strategies.
Takeaway
This study found that people with unexplained chest pain often deal with their pain by expressing their emotions, and this can be influenced by stress and sleep problems.
Methodology
The study used a cross-sectional design and included patients evaluated for chest pain at an emergency department, who were assessed for coping strategies, stress, sleep problems, and physical activity.
Potential Biases
Potential biases may arise from the single-site study design and the exclusion of patients who sought care at night.
Limitations
The study's cross-sectional design limits the ability to infer causation, and data were collected at a single hospital during daytime hours.
Participant Demographics
The sample consisted of 56.4% men, with a mean age of 44.2 for men and 46.6 for women; 34% were immigrants.
Statistical Information
P-Value
0.02
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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