J Korean Acad Adult Nurs.  1997 Dec;9(3):531-544.

A Study on the Type A Behavior Pattern and Health Locus of Control in the Coronary Heart Disease Patients

• Lee HR
• Park JS

Abstract

This study is a descriptive survey conducted for the purpose of providing basic data to develop the effective nursing in interventions for Coronary Heart Disease patients. It was focused the relations between the type A behavior pattern and Health Locus of Control of them datd were collected through face-to-face interview with 55 CHD patients who were hospitalized at one of the general hospitals in Taegu city from May 11 to July 27, 1977. The instruments used for this studyy were the Jenkiness Activity Scale(Jenkins, 1979) and Health Locus of Control Scale(Wallstone & Wallston, 1978). Analysis of data was done by using of Person Correlation Coefficient, t-test, ANOVA, stepwise multiple regression and Cronbach with the SAS program. The results were as follows; 1. Total type A behavior pattern score was 67.2(total 88), job involvement /hard-driving subscale 35.9(total 47), sped subscale 12.8(total 16) and impatient subscale 19.09(total 25). The highest score of the type A pattern was the speed subscale 3.75 when it was transferred as a full mark 4. 2. When the total score of Health Locus of Control Scale of CHD was made 5, internal health locus control was the highest with 3.9, powerful others health locus control 3.6 and chance health locus control 3.0. 3. Women were significantly higher than men on total type A behavior pattern(p=.0453), job involvement/hard-driving subscale(p=.0492) and impatient subscale(p=.0460) according to general characteristics. Angina pectoris patients showed significantly higher than myocardial Infarction patients in total type A behavior pattern score(p=.0266), involvement/hard-driving subscale(p=.0365) and impatient subscale(p=.0185). 4. It was not significantly different for the Health Locus of Control Scale according to general characteristics. 5. Correlations between subscales of type A behavior pattern and subscales of Health Locus of Control showed that there were significantly positive correlation between internal health locus control and job-involvement/ hard-driving subscale(p=.0500), and between powerful others health locus control and important subscale(p=.0204). 6. The variances that can explain the causes of type A behavior pattern were systolic blood pressure 9%, quantity of smoking per day 9.6%, dyastolic blood pressure 8.6%, internal health locus control 6.2%, which accounted for 34.3% of the total variances. The following suggestions are made on the basis above results ; 1) The instrument that measures type A behavior pattern of CHD patient need to be modified and developed as an instrument that is applicable with Korea environment and easy to understand for subjects. 2) Replication of the research is need with nation wide samples. 3) Follow-up study for correlation between subscale of the type A behavior pattern and subscale of Health Locus of Control is needed. 4) Intervention program for CHD patients to reduce type A behavior pattern is to be developed.

MeSH Terms

Angina Pectoris
Blood Pressure
Coronary Disease*
Daegu
Female
Follow-Up Studies
Hospitals, General
Humans
Internal-External Control*
Korea
Male
Myocardial Infarction
Nursing
Smoke
Smoking
Smoke