Aim: The aim of the article was to find the relationship between the level of anxiety and self-image in patients with coronary heart disease.
Methods: Subjects were 70 patients with stable coronary heart disease treated in the Internal Medicine Department of the Military Hospital in Lublin and 70 healthy controls. Mean age of the investigated patients was 53.11 years with the mean age in healthy controls being 50.1 years. Subjects were investigated with the use of Spielberg's State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI), Adjective Check List (ACL) and a questionnaire especially designed for the study concerning the socio-demographic data of the investigated patients.
Results: Our results showed a statistically significant higher level of anxiety in men with coronary heart disease as compared to a group of healthy control men. Level of anxiety in women with coronary heart disease compared with healthy control women did not differ significantly. We found a statistically significant relationship between the elevated level of anxiety and certain features of self-image.
Conclusions: 1. Men with coronary heart disease exhibit a higher level of anxiety compared with healthy men. 2. Higher level of anxiety in men is associated with the increased need of stabilization, withdrawal from achieving aims, lack of self-trust and lack of autonomy. 3. High level of anxiety in women is associated with negative self-assessment, lack of self-trust, tendency for isolation and stronger need of changes.