Men’s Experience of Difficulties during First Year Following Myocardial Infarction—Not Only Fatigue

Abstract

Recovery from a myocardial infarction (MI) can be a very difficult process and some patients are also stricken by fatigue. The aim of the study was to describe the difficulties experienced by men with fatigue during the first year following their MI. The study was conducted using qualitative content analysis of semi-structured interviews with nine men in working age (mean age: 55 years) with verified fatigue (≥12 of 20 on the Multidimensional Fatigue Scale with a mean of 17) one year after their MI. During the first year after the MI the men suffering from fatigue experienced various difficulties in terms of both themselves and the care received. The analysis generated three themes with difficulties described by the interviewed men. 1) Going through involuntary change: not recognizing their body and the inability to recognize themselves. 2) Lacking individualized care: To be denied satisfactory health care treatment and to be denied respectful treatment. 3) Not being seen in the light of the social context: The MI affects the whole family and caregivers do not pay attention to the family. In order to make both the patient and relatives feel secure and cared for, it is essential that caregivers be aware of the importance of providing individualized care over time with particular attention for the patient’s social context.