Predictors of quality of life among women with coronary heart disease.
BACKGROUND
Health-related quality of life (HRQOL) is an increasingly relevant outcome as the population ages and associated morbidities increase. The purpose of this study was to evaluate predictors of HRQOL among ethnically diverse women hospitalized for coronary heart disease (CHD) and determine the impact of a brief, educational intervention on HRQOL 6 months post-hospitalization.


METHODS
Women (n = 160; mean age 63 years, 53% minority) admitted for CHD at three academic hospitals who completed a 6 month secondary prevention trial were studied. The SF-36 was administered at admission and 6 months. Multiple linear regressions were used to identify significant independent predictors of 6 month HRQOL.


RESULTS
Significant improvements in HRQOL were noted from admission to 6 months post-hospitalization. Subjects reporting better HRQOL at 6 months included those who were employed, married, physically active, enrolled in cardiac rehabilitation, and not depressed. Women who received an educational intervention had significantly less bodily pain at 6 months compared with usual care in a model adjusted for baseline HRQOL and physical activity goal adherence (p = 0.04).


CONCLUSIONS
Baseline HRQOL (8 SF-36 subscales), physical activity (3 SF-36 subscales) and marital status (1 SF-36 subscale) were the major determinants of HRQOL at 6 months post-hospitalization. Future interventions and preventive efforts should be targeted to women with CHD who have impaired HRQOL and may be at increased risk of poor clinical outcomes.
Christian
Allison H
AH
College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA.
Cheema
Ayesha F
AF
Smith
Sidney C
SC
Mosca
Lori
L
D000046:Academic Medical Centers; D000368:Aged; D000786:Anger; D015897:Comorbidity; D003327:Coronary Disease / Q000208:ethnology / Q000523:psychology*; D003863:Depression; D005260:Female; D006760:Hospitalization; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009518:New York; D009657:North Carolina; D010353:Patient Education as Topic; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011788:Quality of Life; D018434:Sickness Impact Profile; D013997:Time Factors; D016387:Women's Health / Q000208:ethnology