Depression symptoms have a greater impact on the 1-year health-related quality of life outcomes of women post-myocardial infarction compared to men.
OBJECTIVE
Several studies report that women with CAD have a poorer prognosis than men and suggest that depressive symptoms may be a contributing factor. The purpose of this study was to examine gender differences in depressive symptoms, as they relate to health-related quality of life outcomes following an AMI.


METHODS
Patients with documented AMI completed a questionnaire including the Short Form 36 physical (PCS), and mental component summary (MCS) scores, and Beck Depression Inventory at baseline and at 1 year after AMI admission.


RESULTS
486 (82%) patients completed the follow-up questionnaire. Females had significantly worse PCS and MCS scores at baseline and 1-year follow-up compared to males The mean 1-year Beck scores were significantly higher (p=0.01) for females (10.02+/-8.23) compared to males (7.78+/-8.01) indicating more reported depressive symptomatology. Multivariate analyses showed significant gender-related differences in the PCS scores at 1 year, but no gender-related differences in the 1-year MCS scores.


CONCLUSIONS
These results suggest that gender differences in mental health at 1 year relate to gender-related differences at 1-year depression levels. The higher level of depression in women may be a consequence of gender differences in recovery patterns from an AMI and requires further investigation.
Norris
Colleen M
CM
Faculty of Nursing, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. colleen.norris@ualberta.ca
Hegadoren
Kathleen
K
Pilote
Louise
L
D000203:Activities of Daily Living / Q000523:psychology; D001294:Attitude to Health; D017281:Cost of Illness; D003863:Depression / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D008019:Life Style; D008297:Male; D008571:Men / Q000523:psychology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000150:complications*; D015404:Nursing Methodology Research; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology*; D011792:Quebec / Q000453:epidemiology; D012307:Risk Factors; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D012737:Sex Factors; D012944:Social Support; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014930:Women / Q000523:psychology*