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

Abstract

Objective: Female sex is a major barrier to completing a programme of cardiac rehabilitation (CR) after acute coronary syndrome (ACS). Women require significant social support to promote compliance and the ability to cope with CR programme attendance. The aim of this systematic review of qualitative studies was to explore social support among women coping with CR programme attendance at phase II CRP is 3 months after their cardiac event.Methods: Articles were searched through CINAHL (Cumulative Index and Allied Health Literature), Science Direct and PubMed databases 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 analyse the data using line to line coding into descriptive themes, interpreting further to generate new insights. The 3 most common themes regarding social support for women attending the CR programme were: family support, female as the primary caregiver in the family, and peer support. For most women who perceived themselves as the primary caregiver in the family there was a negative impact on their ability to cope fully with CR programme attendance. On the other hand, encouraging support from family and peers positively improved their coping mechanism for attending the CR programme, leading to improved compliance.Conclusion: Women with ACS consider that support from their family plays a vital role as a coping mechanism in their attendance at a CR programme. Healthcare providers should teach the importance of social support among women after discharge to help them cope with CR programme attendance. LAY ABSTRACTWomen face a major obstacle to coping with a programme of cardiac rehabilitation (CR) after a cardiac event. In order to promote attendance at a CR programme, women often require significant social support to ensure compliance with the programme. This review evaluated the results of 6 studies that explored women’s experiences and their coping process in attending an outpatient CR programme after a cardiac event. The review found that family support, being female as the primary caregiver in the family, and peer support are the main social supports for compliance with an outpatient CR programme. Women who were extensively involved as the primary caregiver in their families had difficulty complying with attendance at the outpatient CR programme. On the other hand, women with good support from family and peers had better compliance. Therefore, healthcare providers should initiate strategies for promoting good social support among women on an outpatient CR programme in order to enhance compliance with attendance.