Explaining Health Anxiety in Patients after Open Heart Surgery: A Qualitative Study

• Published in: Health and Development Journal Vol. 13; no. 2; pp. 39 - 48
• Main Authors: Sarhadi, Mahdieh, Rigi, Fatemeh, Abdollahyar, Asma
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: 17.05.2024
• ISSN: 2783-2821; 2783-2821
• DOI: 10.34172/jhad.92365

Background: Health anxiety is one of the most prevalent psychological reactions observed in patients after open heart surgery. Thus, the present study was conducted to explain health anxiety in these patients. Methods: In-depth semi-structured interviews were conducted with 15 patients with a history of open heart surgery in educational hospitals affiliated to Zahedan University of Medical Sciences in 2023-2024. The interviews were immediately transcribed and underwent conventional content analysis. MAXQDA 2022 software was used for data categorization and data were also analyzed using the method proposed by Lundman and Graneheim. Results: According to the current study results, open heart surgery can lead to health anxiety among patients. This anxiety appears as mental turmoil, ineffective psychological reactions to the disease, pathological search for information and treatment, and the incidence of mood disorders. Conclusion: The results of the present research demonstrate that open heart surgery is a stressor and patients develop health anxiety after surgery. Hence, it is suggested that hospitals pay attention to patients’ health anxiety in their educational programs, consultations, and rehabilitation programs and design and implement influential psychological interventions in the form of standard protocols to be used at the level of hospitals and cardiac rehabilitation centers.