Bypass Recovery, the Video

Optimistic information on surgery leads to fewer complications

MONDAY, Dec. 30, 2002 (HealthDayNews) -- Women who have coronary bypass surgery have fewer complications when their husbands receive encouraging educational information about the surgery, says an American study in a recent issue of Health Psychology journal.

The study found that women whose husbands viewed an optimistic informational videotape about coronary bypass surgery had fewer complications than women who had the same surgery but whose husbands were shown a standard hospital videotape.

The researchers evaluated the progress of 70 women and 226 men for six months after they had their first coronary artery bypass graft (CABG).

The videotapes are about 35 minutes long and offer information to spouses about exercise, diet, incision care, and resumption of normal activities. The videotapes also include information about pain, fatigue, emotions, sleep, and appetite.

Both videos feature four people who had CABG describing their experiences after their surgery.

The main difference is that one of the videos presents a more optimistic tone.

The study found that women who had CABG and whose husbands watched the more optimistic video had lower complication rates and were 25 per cent less likely to require rehospitalization in the six months after their surgery than women whose husbands watched the other video.

More Information

Here's where to learn more about coronary artery bypass surgery.

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