BIO

My name is Hinah Ehtisham. I am from Dallas, Texas. I have a love for all things healthcare and hope to pursue medical school.

Age Differences in Depression and Anxiety Levels of Open-Heart Surgery Patients

Abstract

Age and gender are demographic measures important in cardiac patients.Additionally, depression and anxiety have long been established to be heart disease (HD) comorbidities. This study aims to examine the impact of age and gender on preoperative depression and postoperative anxiety symptoms in patients with HD receiving open heart surgery (OHD). Two waves of surveys were collected along with medical implications from patients at a prestigious heart center (n = 481, mean age = 62.18 ± 12.04, female 42%). One survey analyzed the differences in anxiety and depression in ages, while the second analyzed the gender differences. The collected survey data included socio-demographic information (age, gender, race), religious affiliation, general health and health behaviors, medical comorbidities, cardiovascular health indices, dispositional optimism, hope, social support, depression symptoms, and anxiety symptoms. Statistical analysis was carried out using hierarchical linear regression analyses. Findings support that higher age correlates with increased levels of cardiac symptoms. In comparison, younger age was associated with higher levels of postoperative depression, while older age was associated with higher levels of postoperative anxiety. Higher levels of dispositional optimism were consistently associated with lower levels of both postoperative depression and postoperative anxiety regardless of age. Female gender had an impact on depression scores but not on anxiety levels. Findings suggest that medical professionals might benefit from being more attentive to non-medical conditions such as mood states, dispositional optimism, and general positive expectations about the future in post-OHS life.

Keywords: Cardiac Disease, Mental Health, Aging, Gender Disparities