Psychological functioning among middle-aged and older adult pulmonary patients in exercise rehabilitation.

Twenty-seven adults (10 men, 17 women) with chronic pulmonary disease participated in a 30-day rehabilitation program including aerobic exercise, education, and stress management. Mean age of the sample was 55.5 + or - 15.8 years (Range: 27-83 years). Subjects underwent assessments of physiological functioning, neuropsychological functioning, and psychological well-being before (Time 1) and after (Time 2) the exercise program. Using a median age split, the sample was divided into older adult (mean age = 68.6 + or - 9.2) and middle-aged (mean age = 43.4 + or - 9.5) groups, and data were analyzed by multivariate analysis of variance, with age as a between subjects factor. The exercise intervention had no significant effect on indicators of pulmonary function, but both age groups achieved significant gains in cardiopulmonary endurance. Middle-aged subjects functioned at a higher level than older adult subjects at both times of measurement, and middle-aged subjects achieved significantly greater gains in walking distance than older adults. Both groups reported fewer symptoms of psychological distress (depression and anxiety) following the exercise program. The middle-aged subjects performed better than the older adult subjects on timed neuropsychological tests, but both groups improved significantly at Time 2. Although age differences were found in physiological and neuropsychological status in this sample of mildly-to-moderately impaired pulmonary patients, exercise outcomes in psychological well-being and neuropsychological functioning were not differentially associated with age. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]