Myocardial Infarction and Wives Accounts of the Problems of a Group of Wives During Their Husbands' Recovery from Myocardial Infarction

The effects and impact of an illness on the patient's wife and family have been emphasized by a number of authors (Boon, 1972; Crawford, 1971; Binget', 1969; Klein, 1961). It has been suggested that wives are important support structures for family members whilst they are ill. For

example Petroni (1969) and other writers, e.g. Mechanic (1959), Parsons and fox (1958), Nagi (1966) have pointed out the link between illness behaviour and the patient's perceived support from significant others.

Petroni described the influential role of wives in the health behaviour of their spouses whilst noting that, ideally such perceptions may be defined from the variety of points of view of a number of relevant others.