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Quality of life and anxiety in a phase II cardiac rehabilitation program.

Authors :
Engebretson TO
Clark MM
Niaura RS
Phillips T
Albrecht A
Tilkemeier P
Source :
Medicine and science in sports and exercise [Med Sci Sports Exerc] 1999 Feb; Vol. 31 (2), pp. 216-23.
Publication Year :
1999

Abstract

Purpose: Cardiac rehabilitation programs increasingly attempt to improve both quantity and quality of life (QOL). Documenting QOL changes requires appropriate instruments, and interpreting QOL data requires an understanding of the factors that influence such reports.<br />Methods: To address both issues, we assessed QOL among 77 patients before and after participation in a 12-wk phase II cardiac rehabilitation program. Individual psychological differences in trait anxiety and defensiveness were also assessed. The sample was 76.6% male, 70.1% married, and had a mean age of 58.8 yr.<br />Results: The QOL scales detected changes which occurred over the 12-wk testing period. QOL reports were strongly and differentially influenced by individual differences in trait anxiety, such that patients reporting high trait anxiety displayed poorer QOL than those low in trait anxiety. More specifically, trait anxiety influenced affect reports most strongly, functional aspects moderately, and physical aspects of QOL reports the least.<br />Conclusions: Defensiveness was unrelated to QOL reports. The 17% of participants who voluntarily left the rehabilitation program prematurely were characterized as younger, having better self-perceived health, having a less severe cardiac history, and being high in both trait anxiety and defensiveness. Study benefits and limitations are discussed.

Details

Language :
English
ISSN :
0195-9131
Volume :
31
Issue :
2
Database :
MEDLINE
Journal :
Medicine and science in sports and exercise
Publication Type :
Academic Journal
Accession number :
10063809
Full Text :
https://doi.org/10.1097/00005768-199902000-00003