| PTG is defined as a positive psychological consequence arising from coping with a life changing crisis. For example, individuals who have contracted a serious health condition such as cardiovascular disease may experience an increased appreciation for life and the ability to relate to others, and reprioritize their goals. This dissertation adopted a cross-sectional and retrospective quantitative method to investigate: (1) the degree of and correlates of Posttraumatic Growth (PTG), (2) its relationship with objective and subjective cardiac trauma, healthcare utilization, and (3) mortality and morbidity outcomes in large cardiac cohorts.;In our 1692 cardiac inpatient cohort, results showed that greater PTG was significantly associated with an objective indicator of cardiac trauma-- greater predicted risk of recurrent events, more visits to physicians and cardiac rehabilitation use. Greater PTG among vulnerable groups such as lower income and non-white ethnicity were also evident. PTG at one-year post-hospitalization was not associated with perceived stress, prior recurrent events, or future recurrent events and mortality (median follow-up time 2.6 years).;In conclusion, the results herein lead to a greater understanding of PTG and its potential role in facilitating patients' adaptation and recovery from cardiac events. Given that up to 25% of cardiac patients experience distress immediate after manifesting the disease, future studies examining the role of PTG in adjustment and preventive healthcare use in cardiac patients may contribute to the development of interventions to enhance PTG in at-risk patients and vulnerable groups.;In our cardiac cohort of 1268 outpatients, results showed that greater PTG was reported among patients who were non-white, had a lower income, lower functional status, fewer depressive symptoms, greater social support, and positive illness perceptions. The degree of PTG was equivalent to that of cardiac patients in other countries. |
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