Abstract

GONCALVES, Pedro Ricardo Coelho; FRIAS, Ana Carolina  and  FONSECA, Ana Dias da. Emotional adjustment of patients surgically treated for aneurysmal Subarachnoid Haemorrhage (SAH). Rev. Enf. Ref. [online]. 2014, vol.serIV, n.1, pp.15-23. ISSN 0874-0283.  https://doi.org/10.12707/RIII1390.

Theoretical Framework: The sequelae caused by an aneurysmal Subarachnoid Haemorrhage (SAH) may have a significant impact on patients’ emotional adjustment. Objective: This study aimed to characterise the emotional adjustment of patients with SAH, and identify the factors influencing this adjustment. Methodology: Sixty patients surgically treated for aneurysmal SAH for at least six months filled out a socio-demographic and clinical data sheet, the Medical Outcomes Study 36 and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale. Results: Patients with SAH showed significantly higher levels of Depression (p= 0.002), but not Anxiety, than the general population. In this sample, 19% and 7.1% of patients showed clinically relevant levels of Anxiety and Depression, respectively. The presence of post-SAH complications and perception of low quality of life are associated with increased levels of Anxiety and Depression. Social Support is only negatively associated with levels of Depression. Conclusions: These results support the long-term emotional impact of a surgically treated aneurysmal SAH. The study of the variability factors allows for the identification of not only patients at higher risk for adjustment difficulties, but also some strategies to improve their emotional adjustment.

Keywords : anxiety; depression; subarachnoid haemorrhage; quality of life.

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