Moderating Effect of Physical Activity on the Relationship between Perceived Stress and Depression in Patients with Ischemic Heart Disease: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Purpose: This study was conducted to investigate the moderating effect of physical activity on the relationship between perceived stress and depression in patients newly diagnosed with ischemic heart disease. Methods: This study had a cross-sectional design. Data were collected using a structured self-report questionnaire, which covered demographic characteristics, perceived stress, depression, and physical activity. Multiple linear regression was used to determine whether perceived stress and physical activity influenced depression, after controlling for demographic characteristics. The moderating effect of physical activity on the relationship between perceived stress and depression was analyzed using model 1 of the PROCESS macro (bootstrap sample size=5,000). Results: The findings revealed that the level of depression was higher in women (p=.003), individuals without a spouse (p=.004), and those with an average monthly income of less than 3 million won (p=.045). The regression results showed that perceived stress was associated with a significant increase in the level of depression (β=.53, p<.001), and low physical activity was also a significant predictor of depression (β=.16, p=.013). The moderating effect of physical activity on the relationship between perceived stress and depression was confirmed, indicating that when physical activity was high, the impact of perceived stress on depression was weaker than when physical activity was low (B=-0.37, p=.038). Conclusion: The findings suggest the need to implement a nursing program that can enhance physical activity and early screening for stress and depression in patients with ischemic heart disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]