Living alone predicts 30-day hospital readmission after coronary artery bypass graft surgery

Abstract

Background Earlier studies show that medical factors and disease severity predict early readmission to hospital after coronary artery bypass graft surgery (CABGS). Few studies have investigated psychosocial predictors. This study investigated medical, sociodemographic and psychosocial predictors of 30-day hospital readmission. Methods A consecutive sample of 181 patients wait-listed for CABGS completed self-report questionnaires before surgery, and at 2 and 6 months after surgery. Results Twenty-six (14.4%) patients were readmitted within 30 days of hospital discharge. Readmitted patients were older (t = 2.12, df = 179, P = 0.035), and more likely to be unmarried (χ2 = 5.80, df = 1, P = 0.01..