This study was performed to determine psychosocial adaptation, depression and axiety levels of patients who experienced Myocardial Infarction (MI).

A total of 86 patients who were admitted to Coronary Intensive Care Unit of Ege University with MI diagnosis between October and December 2009 and who visited Cardiology Polyclinic as outpatients were comprised the sampling of study. In data collection “Patient Introductory Information Form” involving sociodemographic characteristics of the patients, “Psychosocial Adaptation Scale”, “Beck Depression Inventory” and “Beck Anxiety Inventory” were used.

When the sociodemographic characteristics of patients were scrutinized it was identified that their mean age was 57.50±10.43 years. 76.7% were males, 79.1% were married, 40.7% were elementary school graduates, 94% were living with their families. Since patients have experienced MI at early ages, singles or those are living alone, those have less income and those experiencing difficulty in coping with stress had increased mean psychosocail adaptation scores and mean depression scores and the difference was found statistically significant (p<0.05).In patients who experienced MI, as the depression and anxiety scores increased, also the psychosocial disease-adaptation scores increased. Increased mean anxiety and depression scores will decrease individuals’ adaptation to disease (p<0.01).

Consequently, during the process of reducing the negative effects exerted by heart failure, which is a chronic disease, on individual, family and community and increasing patients’ psychosocial disease-adaptation, nurses should consider patients’ individual and disease-related characteristics and provide support for them to develop their psychosocial adaptation.