Practical Care Support During the Early Recovery Period After Acute Coronary Syndrome

OBJECTIVE: To describe the prevalence and predictors of receipt of practical support among acute coronary syndrome (ACS) survivors during the early post-discharge period. METHOD: 406 ACS patients were interviewed about receipt of practical (instrumental and informational) support during the week after discharge. Demographic, clinical, functional, and psychosocial predictors of instrumental and informational practical support were examined. RESULTS: 81% of participants reported receiving practical support during the early post-discharge period: 75% reported receipt of instrumental support and 51% reported receipt of informational support. Men were less likely to report receiving certain types of practical support, whereas married participants and those with higher education, impaired health literacy, impaired activities of daily living, and in-hospital complications were more likely to report receiving certain types of practical support. CONCLUSION: Receipt of practical support is very common among ACS survivors during the early post-discharge period, and type of support received differs according to patient characteristics