title: Quality of life in cardiac patient research: a meta-analysis.
abstract: This article reports a meta-analysis of 84 studies of quality of life (QOL) in cardiac patient populations published in the 5-year period 1987-1991. Selected methodologies and substantive characteristics of the studies are described. An overall effect size of .31 indicated a small but significant positive effect of pharmacologic, mechanical, surgical, nursing, or other treatment on QOL. No negative effect of treatment was found for any cardiovascular diagnostic category. Homogeneity analysis revealed eight potential moderators of the overall effect size: quality of study, gender of sample, time dimension, sampling method, intervention, marital status of subjects, quality-of-life dimension measured, and sample size.
authors.affiliation: Center for Nursing Research, University of Alabama School of Nursing, Birmingham, USA.
authors.forename: M R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Kinney
authors.forename: S N
authors.initials: SN
authors.lastname: Burfitt
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Stullenbarger
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Rees
authors.forename: M R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: DeBolt
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D015987:Effect Modifier, Epidemiologic; D005260:Female; D006331:Heart Diseases / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D017533:Marital Status; D008875:Middle Aged; D011788:Quality of Life; D012107:Research Design; D012737:Sex Factors; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome