Depressive Symptoms and Perceptions of ED Care in Patients Evaluated for Acute Coronary Syndrome

Journal of Emergency Nursing : JEN : Official Publication of the Emergency Department Nurses Association
Tara St OngeBernard P Chang

Abstract

Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) develops in 1 out of 8 survivors of acute coronary syndrome (ACS) events, and these persons have a doubling of risk for recurrent ACS and mortality. Overcrowding in the emergency department during ACS evaluation has been associated with increased risk for PTSD, and depressed patients have been found to be particularly vulnerable. Little is known about the mechanisms by which overcrowding increases PTSD risk in depressed patients. Our aim was to evaluate one possible mechanism, patient perception of crowding and care, in depressed and nondepressed ED patients evaluated for ACS. We enrolled 912 participants in the REactions to Acute Care and Hospitalization study, an ongoing observational cohort study assessing patients evaluated for ACS. Participants completed the Emergency Department Perceptions questionnaire. Depressive symptoms were screened using the Personal Health Questionnaire Depression Scale. Objective ED crowding was calculated using the Emergency Department Work Index (EDWIN). EDWIN scores did not significantly differ between groups. Although perceptions of ED crowding did not differ between groups, depressed patients perceived the emergency department as more stressful [t = 4.45, ...Continue Reading

Citations

Nov 2, 2019·Academic Emergency Medicine : Official Journal of the Society for Academic Emergency Medicine·Paul I MuseyBernard P Chang

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