“Maybe It Could Be a Heart Attack . . . But I'm Only 31”: Young Men's Lived Experience of Myocardial Infarction—An Exploratory Study

• Published in: American journal of men's health Vol. 3; no. 2; pp. 116 - 125
• Main Authors: Allison, Maggie, Campbell, Carol
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Los Angeles, CA SAGE Publications 01.06.2009; SAGE PUBLICATIONS, INC; SAGE Publishing
• Subjects: Adaptation, Psychological; Adult; Age Factors; Evaluation Studies as Topic; Heart attacks; Humans; Life Change Events; Male; Men's Health; Middle Aged; Myocardial Infarction - diagnosis; Myocardial Infarction - epidemiology; Myocardial Infarction - psychology; Prevalence; Prognosis; Quality of Life; Risk Assessment; Sampling Studies; Self Concept; Severity of Illness Index; Sickness Impact Profile; Stress, Psychological; Surveys and Questionnaires; Survivors; younger men; myocardial infarction; qualitative research
• ISSN: 1557-9883; 1557-9891
• DOI: 10.1177/1557988307308519

This study examines the lived experience of myocardial infarction (MI) in younger men. Seven men, aged between 32 and 58, all of whom had suffered MI within the previous 12 months, were interviewed. Thematic analysis of the interview transcripts revealed four main themes. The themes were “disillusionment with life,” “tension and stress,” “keeping up appearances,” and “invincibility.” Collectively the four themes reflected the complexities, subtleties, and consensus of the experiences of these younger men who have survived MI. This study reveals that the individuals within the authors' sample appear to allude to the ideal or hegemonic form of masculine identity. Utilization of a qualitative approach with this younger male sample has enabled the authors to elicit the defining features of their experience as identified by themselves. Implications for these findings are discussed.