Exploring Social Support for Women Coping with a Cardiac Rehabilitation Programme after Acute Coronary Syndrome: A Systematic Review of Qualitative Studies

Abstract

Objective: Female gender is a major barrier to complete cardiac rehabilitation program (CRP) after acute coronary syndrome (ACS). Women require significant social support to promote compliance and the ability to cope with CRP attendance. This systematic review of qualitative studies aimed to explore the social support among women coping with CRP attendance after being diagnosed with ACS.Methods: Articles were searched through CINAHL, Science Direct and PubMed using the following terms: women, acute coronary syndrome, coping, social support and cardiac rehabilitation. Results: A total of 6 articles were selected based on eligibility criteria. Thematic analysis was used to analyze the data using line to line coding into descriptive themes, interpreting further to generate new sights. The three most common themes on social support for women attending the CRP were family support, female as the primary caregiver role in the family, and peer support. Most women who perceived themselves as the primary caregiver role in the family have negatively impacted their ability to cope with CRP attendance fully. On the other hand, encouraging family and peer support positively improve their coping mechanism for attending the CRP, leading to better compliance. Conclusion: The study suggests that women with ACS appreciate the support from their family as a vital role as a coping mechanism towards their attendance to CRP. Health care providers can teach the importance of social support among women after discharge to cope with CRP attendance.

Analysis of the current status of rehabilitation motivation and its influencing factors in older adults with stroke: a cross-sectional study

“…Studies have shown that perceived social support is positively correlated with motivation to recover, and the higher the perceived social support of stroke patients, the stronger their motivation to recover and the more likely they are to contribute to a lower disability rate, which is consistent with the findings of Lee et al (2021) and Darsin Singh et al (2022) . The reason for this is that older patients receive adequate medical coverage through family, friends, health care providers, and society to build confidence in overcoming the disease ( Lobo et al, 2021 ) and are able to follow the rehabilitation advice given by health care providers and follow the plan, which in turn increases the patients’ own motivation to rehabilitate.…”

Social Isolation and Social Support Influence Health Service Utilisation and Survival after a Cardiovascular Disease Event: A Systematic Review

“…Further, gender may play a role in cardiac recovery. Women are less likely to complete cardiac rehabilitation after acute coronary syndrome and may require more social support to encourage attendance [ 73 ]. For example, having social support may be limiting if the woman is the primary caregiver in the family, as this would reduce their availability for cardiac rehabilitation [ 73 ].…”

“…Women are less likely to complete cardiac rehabilitation after acute coronary syndrome and may require more social support to encourage attendance [ 73 ]. For example, having social support may be limiting if the woman is the primary caregiver in the family, as this would reduce their availability for cardiac rehabilitation [ 73 ]. However, women may be more encouraged by positive social supports from family and peers, which has been shown to improve their coping mechanisms for attending the rehabilitation program [ 73 ].…”

“…For example, having social support may be limiting if the woman is the primary caregiver in the family, as this would reduce their availability for cardiac rehabilitation [ 73 ]. However, women may be more encouraged by positive social supports from family and peers, which has been shown to improve their coping mechanisms for attending the rehabilitation program [ 73 ]. Our study adds to the importance of research focused on women and the importance of gender-disaggregated reporting.…”

Treatment Motivation and Hopelessness among Cardiac Patients

“…Moreover, the role of perceived social support cannot be overstated (11). A supportive network of family, friends, and healthcare providers can be a lifeline for those drowning in hopelessness, providing the encouragement and assurance needed to continue fighting for their health (12). This is corroborated by research showing that cardiac patients with higher levels of social support exhibit lower levels of hopelessness, highlighting the importance of fostering strong, supportive relationships in the recovery process (13).…”