Living with non-cardiac chest pain - An inductive qualitative interview study of spouses' perspectives.
Magda Eriksson-Liebon, Anita Kärner Köhler, Peter Johansson and 1 others
PMID 38794988WHAT IT FOUND
Spouses of partners with non-cardiac chest pain felt ignored by healthcare staff and excluded from care plans.
They carried heavy practical and emotional burdens, including financial strain and relationship strain. They asked for guidance on how to support their partners, not just information about the pain.
Key findings
01Spouses reported feeling disregarded by healthcare professionals who did not invite them into the dialogue or provide them with information.
02Living with a partner with non-cardiac chest pain caused significant practical and emotional strain, including financial worries, reduced leisure activity, and changes to the couple's relationship.
03Spouses expressed a need for counselling and training to help them support their partners, rather than being left to manage the situation alone.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for RNs
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What it does not show
The sample was very small (10 people), which limits how widely these experiences can be applied to other couples. Data collection stopped early due to the COVID-19 pandemic, which may have affected the depth of the findings. All spouses were recruited from a specific intervention trial, so their experiences may differ from those of spouses not involved in research.
Declared interests
The study was funded by the Kamprad Family Foundation. The authors declared no conflicts of interest.
The easy way to misread this
Do not assume that because spouses are present during a clinical encounter, they feel included or informed. The study found that even when sitting beside their partner, many spouses felt ignored and excluded from the care conversation.