Relation between stressors and sociodemographic and clinical characteristics of patients hospitalized at a coronary unit.

This descriptive study aimed to correlate the stressors of patients hospitalized at a coronary care unit and their sociodemographic and clinical characteristics. We interviewed 43 patients who were hospitalized at a large hospital. The stressors were evaluated by means of a 4-point Likert scale, which measured stress intensity for 42 possible stressors, ranging from 1 (not stressful) to 4 (very stressful). We collected data on sociodemographic and clinical characteristics and about the coronary unit. Data were analyzed through non parametrical statistics, using Mann-Whitney, Kruskal-Wallis and Spearman's correlation test. A 0.05 significance level was adopted. Greater stress was found among younger female patients who did not receive psychotherapeutic medication, including the presence of more than two pieces of equipment and no earlier hospitalization at this kind of intensive therapy unit.