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Is having a job a protective factor? Employment status and state of medical care as subjectively perceived by adults with CHD in Germany

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  10 November 2016

Paul C. Helm*
Affiliation:
National Register for Congenital Heart Defects, Berlin, Germany
Elisabeth J. Sticker
Affiliation:
Department of Psychology, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
Roland Keuchen
Affiliation:
Bundesvereinigung JEMAH e. V., Aachen, Germany
Marc-André Koerten
Affiliation:
National Register for Congenital Heart Defects, Berlin, Germany
Gerhard-Paul Diller
Affiliation:
Center for Adults with Congenital Heart Defects (EMAH-Center), Muenster University Hospital, Muenster, Germany Competence Network for Congenital Heart Defects, Berlin, Germany
Oktay Tutarel
Affiliation:
Department of Cardiology and Angiology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany Competence Network for Congenital Heart Defects, Berlin, Germany
Ulrike M. M. Bauer
Affiliation:
National Register for Congenital Heart Defects, Berlin, Germany Competence Network for Congenital Heart Defects, Berlin, Germany
*
Correspondence to: P. C. Helm, Dipl.-Psych., National Register for Congenital Heart Defects, Augustenburger Platz 1, 13353 Berlin, Germany. Tel.: +49 30/4593 7289; Fax: +49 30/4593 7278; E-mail: helm@dhzb.de; niggemeyer@kompetenznetz-ahf.de

Abstract

Background

Most patients born with CHD nowadays reach adulthood, and thus quality of life, life situation, and state of medical care aspects are gaining importance in the current era. The present study aimed to investigate whether patients’ assessment depends on their means of occupation. The findings are expected to be helpful in optimising care and for developing individual treatment plans.

Methods

The present study was based on an online survey conducted in cooperation with patient organisations. Participants were recruited from the database of the German National Register for Congenital Heart Defects. In total, 1828 individuals (777 males, 1051 females) took part. Participants were asked to rate aspects such their state of health on a six-tier scale (1=worst specification). Response behaviour was measured against the background of occupational details.

Results

Training for or pursuing a profession was found to be significantly associated with participants’ rating of five of the six examined aspects (p<0.05). Sex seemed to play an important part in four of the six aspects.

Conclusions

An optimal treatment plan for adults with CHD should always consider aspects such as sex and employment status. To work out such an optimal and individual treatment plan for each adult CHD patient, an objective tool to measure patients’ actual CHD-specific knowledge precluding socially accepted response bias would be very useful.

Type
Original Articles
Copyright
© Cambridge University Press 2016 

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