title: How cardiac rehabilitation relates to quality of life.
abstract: The purpose of this study is to determine the relationship between adherence to cardiac rehabilitation (CR) and improvements in health-related quality of life (HRQL) with a 12-week, Phase-II CR program. Previously collected data from 153 CR patients (114 males, 39 females; 69.1 years of age +/- 11.5) were utilized to complete this retrospective study. Patients completed the Medical Outcomes Survey Short Form-36 to assess HRQL at the beginning of CR (N = 153), at 3 months (N = 152), and at 1 year (N = 94). Pearson correlation coefficients were generated to assess the relationship between CR attendance and HRQL. Paired sample t-tests helped determine the effect of CR on HRQL at 3 months and 1 year. No relationship was found between CR adherence and improvements in HRQL. Significant improvements in HRQL were found among all patients from baseline to 3 months and 1 year. Study findings demonstrate the effectiveness of CR in improving patient short- and long-term HRQL regardless of patient adherence rate.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiac and Pulmonary Rahabilitation, Banner Baywood Heart Hospital, Mesa, AZ 85206, USA. jeff.Alexander@bannerhealth.com
authors.forename: Jeffrey L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Alexander
authors.forename: Carolyn L
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Wagner
mesh_terms: D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000368:Aged; D001130:Arizona; D005081:Exercise Therapy / Q000458:organization & administration*; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006331:Heart Diseases / Q000523:psychology / Q000534:rehabilitation; D006801:Humans; D008019:Life Style; D008297:Male; D008603:Mental Health; D015403:Nursing Evaluation Research; D010349:Patient Compliance / Q000523:psychology*; D010353:Patient Education as Topic / Q000458:organization & administration*; D010807:Physical Endurance; D015397:Program Evaluation; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012380:Role; D012919:Social Behavior; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014891:Weight Lifting / Q000523:psychology