Perceptions of patients and cardiologists regarding psychological involvement in cardiovascular care

Background/Introduction

Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are often associated with depression, anxiety and stress, all of which have a negative impact on prognosis, adherence and quality of life [1-2]. Recent recommendations from international cardiology societies emphasise integrating mental health professionals into structured, multidisciplinary models such as the Psycho-Cardio Team to promote person-centred cardiovascular care [1-2]. However, HeartCare Team–based approaches are not widely implemented, and there is limited data on patients’ and cardiologists’ perceptions of psychological involvement in cardiology.

Purpose

The aims of this study are: 1) to assess the perceptions, attitudes and beliefs of a sample of patients affected by CVDs regarding psychological factors related to CVDs and the involvement of psychologists in cardiology treatments, and 2) to compare these results with those of a parallel survey conducted with cardiologists.

Methods

An online anonymous cross-sectional survey was administered to patients with CVDs and cardiologists in Italy. The two parallel questionnaires, specifically tailored for each group, included ad hoc items on psychological care as well as validated measures of social desirability and attitudes towards psychological support.

Results

This study involved 218 patients with CVDs and 218 cardiologists. Of the patients, 70.2% reported not receiving information about the role of psychological factors in their diseases. 76.1% of respondents stated that they would like more information on psychological and cognitive factors related to CVDs. 81.7% expressed an interest in receiving information about the doctor–patient relationship and its dynamics. 71.1% felt that psychologists could facilitate communication between cardiologists and patients or their caregivers. Finally, 69.7% of respondents reported that it would be useful to include psychologists in the multidisciplinary management of patients with CVDs.

Compared with patients, cardiologists perceived psychological interventions in cardiovascular care as more useful (82.78 ± 11.31 vs. 69.59 ± 13.93, p < .001) and reported a greater tendency in involving psychologists during cardiovascular disease management (6.92 ± 1.37 vs. 4.98 ± 1.36, p < .001).

Conclusion(s)

The discrepancy between patient needs and clinical perception necessitates the structural implementation of a multidisciplinary Psycho-Cardio Team to bridge existing communication, information and supportive gaps. As cardiologists report higher levels of perceived usefulness and involvement in psychological care than patients do, they are well placed to promote and facilitate the integration of psychological support in cardiovascular clinical practice.