Avoidance coping styles predict mortality among patients with congestive heart failure: a 6-year follow-up study

The present study was undertaken to evaluate the effects of avoidance coping styles upon mortality risk among patients with symptomatic congestive heart failure. Proportional hazard models were used to evaluate the effect of avoidance coping styles on mortality among 119 clinically stable patients (71.4% men; mean age 66.0±9.1 years), recruited from an outpatient cardiology practice. Fifty-one deaths were registered during the 6-year follow-up period, all from cardiac causes. The results showed that behavioural disengagement was significantly associated with increased risk of mortality. This finding is of concern to health care professionals and should have implications for treatment of patients with CHF. Given the link between avoidance-oriented coping styles and mortality demonstrated in the present study, it is important to explore possible ways in which counselling in active coping skills might help patients to manage their disease and thereby increase their longevity.