Gender differences in self-esteem in Chinese acute coronary syndrome patients

Objective: Self-esteem is an intrinsic psychological domain to recovery following an acute coronary event. However, little research has explored gender differences in self-esteem in the recovery of cardiac patients. The current investigation sought to determine if gender differences in self-esteem were present in acute coronary syndrome (ACS) patients following hospitalization.

 Design: A mixed-group design was used with gender and observation point (within one week of onset of ACS and at six month follow-up) as independent variables. 

Setting: Patients were recruited from one general university teaching hospital in Hong Kong, with a confirmed diagnosis of myocardial infarction or unstable angina. 

Main outcome measure: The 10-item Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (RSES; [Society and the Adolescent Self-image, Princeton University Press, Princeton, New Jersey, 

Results: Analysis of covariance revealed a highly significant effect on RSES scores with male patients having greater RSES-rated self-esteem compared to females. No significant improvement in RSES scores were observed at six month follow-up. 

Conclusions: Health professionals need to be aware that gender is an important factor in the self-esteem needs of this clinical group. Given the importance of selfesteem to cardiac rehabilitation practice, the finding of no improvement in selfesteem at follow-up highlights the need to assess this important psychological domain.