The effect of educational audiotape programme on anxiety and depression in patients undergoing coronary artery bypass graft

Aims and objectives To investigate use of educational audiotape programme on anxiety and depression in patients undergoing coronary artery bypass graft (CABG). Background Anxiety and depression after CABG are the most common complications, having a negative impact on the prognosis of heart disease, leading to special needs according to their new physical and mental conditions. Design Randomised clinical trial. Methods This study conducted in Iran, 70 patients undergoing CABG were included and divided into two equal groups, the control group and intervention group. They were followed up for six weeks. An audiotape educational programme was given to the intervention group after surgery in addition to the routine training. But patients in the control group received only routine training. Anxiety and depression were assessed by Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, a standardised questionnaire for anxiety and depression. Data were collected before and six weeks after the intervention. For the comparison of mean scores between the groups, the data were analysed in spss, version 16, using independent T‐test and paired T‐test. Results The mean scores obtained in both anxiety and depression dimensions were significantly different between the intervention and control groups. Conclusions Audiotape educational programme used by patients undergoing CABG decreases the level of their anxiety and depression after cardiac surgery. Relevance to clinical practice The most significant finding was the importance of audiotape educational programme to meet the needs of the CABG patients, which suggest that patient education through audiotape can be effective in self‐care after heart surgery and nurses can use an audiotape containing preparatory information to improve outcomes and reduce anxiety and depression in patients having CABG.