Background: Family presence decreases mortality and improves psychosocial recovery after a coronary heart disease event. In this situation, spousal support seems important for the recovering partner's self-esteem and mastery. There is inadequate knowledge of how spouses view their supportive roles.
Aim: The aim of this paper is to report a study investigating spouses' experiences of the rehabilitation phase of their partners' coronary heart disease and to gain their views about supporting them in lifestyle changes.
Method: Eight male (mean age 61) and 17 female spouses (mean age 53), were interviewed 1 year after their partner's cardiac event. Of the partners, 18 had experienced myocardial infarction and 19 were revascularized. Interview transcripts were analysed qualitatively using a phenomenographic framework.
Findings: The analysis yielded five different views of the spouse's role. The participative role involved taking a practical part in lifestyle changes, communicating empathetically, and being positive about changes. The regulative role was characterized by being either positive or negative about changes, giving practical or cognitive support in order to control the partner's behaviour, and communicating authoritatively. In the observational role the spouse was passive, complied with suggestions, and communicated empathetically. The incapacitated role involved a positive attitude to changes, communicating without making demands, but being unable to provide support because of personal problems. Assuming a dissociative role entailed being negative about changes and authoritatively declaring a reluctance to be involved in the partner's change of lifestyle. Spouses adopted different roles depending on the support situation.
Conclusion: Spouses' views of their roles in support varied considerably in terms of awareness of the benefits of behavioural changes, style of communication, pattern of co-operation and support situation. The findings favour the view that a family perspective is important in planning rehabilitation of patients following coronary heart disease.