Responses to the specifically designed questionnaire
| Pacemaker | ICD (no shock) | ICD (shock) | p Value | |
| 1. Physical discomfort/limitations | 1.65 (0.78) | 1.74 (0.78) | 1.93 (0.70) | NS |
| 2. Constant awareness of a device | 2.15 (0.71) | 2.58 (0.89) | 2.44 (0.99) | NS |
| 3. Depressed because of device need | 1.85 (0.89) | 2.03 (1.05) | 1.96 (1.00) | NS |
| 4. Preoccupation with heart | 1.87 (0.79) | 2.23 (0.62) | 2.32 (0.88) | NS |
| 5. Change in body image | 1.74 (0.44) | 1.65 (0.49) | 1.66 (0.48) | NS |
| 6. Dislike of new body image | 1.46 (0.74) | 1.52 (0.63) | 1.49 (0.55) | NS |
| 7. Limitations in daily living | 1.47 (0.79) | 1.52 (0.72) | 1.73 (0.91) | NS |
| 8. Limitations in leisure activities | 1.47 (0.76) | 1.45 (0.72) | 1.91 (0.87) | < 0.05 |
| 9. Anxiety about battery depletion | 1.43 (0.64) | 1.19 (0.40) | 1.60 (0.75) | < 0.05 |
| 10. Anxiety about technical failure | 1.50 (0.70) | 1.19 (0.40) | 1.69 (0.87) | < 0.05 |
| 11. Well informed about device | 3.00 (1.53) | 3.06 (0.73) | 3.20 (0.67) | NS |
| 12. Well informed about disease | 3.07 (0.75) | 3.07 (0.58) | 3.13 (0.73) | NS |
| 13. Device as “source of security” | 2.91 (0.91) | 3.20 (0.71) | 3.11 (0.86) | NS |
| 14. Device as “life extender” | 2.51 (1.10) | 2.45 (0.99) | 3.07 (0.91) | < 0.05 |
| 15. Device as “source of anxiety” | 1.26 (0.57) | 1.47 (0.68) | 1.53 (0.73) | NS |
| 16. Request for more follow ups | 7.9% | 0.0% | 2.2% | NS |
| 17. Request for longer follow ups | 9.3% | 6.5% | 6.7% | NS |
| 18. Request for psychotherapy | 9.2% | 6.5% | 8.9% | NS |
| 19. Request for support group | 19.7% | 20.0% | 42.2% | < 0.05 |
| 20. Need for better public awareness | 67.1% | 73.3% | 64.4% | NS |
| 21. General wellbeing | NS | |||
| Worse | 10.5% | 9.7% | 20.0% | |
| Same | 31.6% | 48.4% | 26.7% | |
| Better | 57.9% | 41.9% | 53.3% | |
| 22. Duration of adjustment | NS | |||
| < 1 month | 44.7% | 29.0% | 22.2% | |
| < 6 months | 35.5% | 38.7% | 48.9% | |
| < 1 year | 14.5% | 22.6% | 22.2% | |
| < 2 years | 2.6% | 3.2% | 4.4% | |
| Never | 2.6% | 6.5% | 2.2% | |
| 23. Implantation worthwhile in general | 77.7% | 67.7% | 86.7% | NS |
Values are mean (SD).