A comparison of the illness beliefs of people with angina and their peers: a questionnaire study

Abstract

Background: What people believe about their illness may affect how they cope with it. It has been suggested that such beliefs stem from those commonly held within society . This study compared the beliefs held by people with angina, regarding causation and coping in angina, with the beliefs of their friends who do not suffer from angina.

Coronary heart disease beliefs and misconceptions among cardiac patients and people with chronic illness

“…This may reflect the perception of the need to discourage any physical fitness, exercise or excitement in people with heart disease. The results of this study were inconsistent with the findings of Furze, et al [10] who reported that peers held more misconceptions than angina patients. The peers' mean age (61.62 years) in their study suggests that they were fairly likely to have at least one chronic illness (this was not reported in Furze et al's study) and that peers may also have access to information from health professionals.…”

“…In contrast, friends, the public or people with other chronic illness are less likely to receive information about living with heart disease and may have inappropriate beliefs and behaviours. Furze, Roebuck, Bull, Lewin, & Thompson [10] found that angina beliefs of patients and their peers showed significant differences, where the peers held more misconceptions than those of patients.…”

Does it matter what patients think? The relationship between changes in patients' beliefs about angina and their psychological and functional status

“…Finally, it is not just patients who hold these misconceived beliefs, we have shown that they are as commonly held by the friends and relatives of people who have angina [18]; hence, research and education should be directed at them too. …”

Cardiac misconceptions in healthcare workers

“…The YCBQ is based on previous questionnaires including the York Angina Beliefs Questionnaire which has been shown to be sensitive and reliable for eliciting an individual's cardiac misconceptions 6,16 . The YCBQ is designed to elicit beliefs regarding causation and coping with heart disease that may be misconceived and/or potentially maladaptive.…”