Sudden Cardiac Arrest Association - Cardiovascular Outcomes; Psychosocial Education - A Recovery and Rehabilitation Program after a Sudden Cardiac Arrest

The current project is part of a larger set of patient focused research on the psychological processes and coping efforts of patients and family member who have experienced a sudden cardiac arrest. Previous research has suggested that thirteen to 46 percent of cardiac arrest patients with implanted cardiac defibrillator (ICD) suffer anxiety and 24 ? 46 percent suffer from depression. Despite these sizeable proportions of patients that experience psychological difficulties, very little systematic care plans include information, support, and treatment teams that are prepared to fully manage this aspect of the events. The purpose of the current project is to complete a needs analysis for patients on specific educational and psychological programming. Specific topics and areas of intensive focus such as trauma are core areas of investigation. We will employ a inter-agency collaboration plan to obtain email addresses and attempt to recruit survey respondents. IRB approval will be sought prior to investigation from the East Carolina University IRB. Approximately 1000 participants will be contacted for this study.

Scholars @ ECU