Introduction: Cardiovascular diseases particularly affect the population over 65, representing a complex challenge both for patients and their partners.
Aim: This study explored how patient activation in older adults during the rehabilitation process and post-discharge is associated with partner reactions (i.e., pessimism about the illness, overprotection, hostility, support for activation, dyadic appraisal of the illness, and shared coping), as well as with the quality of the relationship with healthcare professionals (i.e., clarity of information received, relationship satisfaction, and the quality of the partner-physician relationship).
Method: A longitudinal dyadic design was adopted. 86 couples participated at the start of rehabilitation, and 62 patients were reassessed at discharge using a multidimensional questionnaire.
Results: Results showed that, at admission, patient activation was significantly higher when the partner displayed lower pessimism, lower overprotection, and a greater tendency toward shared coping. These associations were not significant at discharge; however, significant associations emerged between patient activation and the partner's support for engagement in care, as well as dyadic appraisal of the illness. Regarding healthcare professionals, satisfaction with nursing staff and the cardiologist was found to be correlated with patient activation. These associations were not significant at discharge.
Conclusions: Overall, the results suggest that the couple's relationship and the therapeutic alliance with the healthcare team change during rehabilitation, contributing in different ways to patient activation. The findings highlight the importance of tailored interventions that take into account dyadic and relational dynamics throughout the entire rehabilitation process.