Design: The descriptive correlational study

Population, Sample, Setting, Years: This study enrolled 86 patients with a diagnosis of angina pectoris at A University Hospital in S city, South Korea. Between October 2002 and June 2003 baseline data for each of the 86 patients were collected. The informed consent was given.

Concept and Methods: Research tools used in this study were a 24 question 4point scale by Costa et al(1986) and a 10 question 4point scale specifically on anger from the Korean version(Chon, Hahn, & Lee, 1998) of State-Trait Anger Inventory by Spielberger(1988). Serum homocysteine was quantified with fluorometry using High Performance Liquid Chromatography in patients who had fasted for over 12 hours. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS/WIN version 11.0.

Findings: 1. Mean scores for hostility, anger and serum homocysteine level were 60.67(SD: 8.77), 22.15(SD: 6.04), and 11.51umol/L(SD: 6.42), respectively. 2. Hypothesis testing on the correlation of hostility, anger and serum homocysteine level showed the following; "The homocysteine level will be different according to the score for hostility" was accepted with statistical significance(p= .00). "The homocysteine level will be different according to the score for anger" was rejected with no statistical significance(p= .12).

Conclusions & Implications: This study presented baseline data to elucidate whether psychosocial factors were associated with the progression of coronary artery diseases. Accordingly, various programs for psychological intervention are required to diminish hostility. Further studies should be conducted on a larger patient population. In addition, path analysis is required to test the role of hostility for increasing serum homocysteine level as a risk factor of coronary artery disease

Back to Posters I
Back to 15th International Nursing Research Congress
Sigma Theta Tau International
July 22-24, 2004