Gender-related differences in clinical characteristics and physiological and psychosocial outcomes of Japanese patients at entry into phase II cardiac rehabilitation.
OBJECTIVE
To examine gender differences in clinical characteristics and physiological and psychosocial outcomes at entry into phase II cardiac rehabilitation.


METHODS
Cross-sectional study.


METHODS
The study comprised 442 consecutive patients with cardiac diseases assessed at entry into a phase II cardiac rehabilitation programme.


METHODS
Clinical characteristics of the patients, such as age, education, marital status, employment and body mass index, were obtained from hospital records. Oxygen uptake, handgrip and knee extensor muscle strength were measured to assess physiological outcomes. Self-efficacy for physical activity, hospital anxiety depression scale and health-related quality of life assessed by Short Form-36 were evaluated to assess psychosocial outcomes.


RESULTS
The number of married women and their levels of education, employment and body mass index were significantly lower, and their ages higher, than those of the men. Measures of physiological outcome in women were significantly lower than those in men. Measures of self-efficacy for physical activity and Short Form-36 physical and emotional subscale scores were lower and anxiety levels higher in women than in men.


CONCLUSIONS
Cardiac rehabilitation programmes exclusively for women focusing on physiological outcomes, group counselling, and training to enhance physical and emotional domains may encourage increased participation by women in cardiac rehabilitation.
Izawa
Kazuhiro P
KP
Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, St. Marianna University School of Medicine Hospital, 2-16-1 Sugao, Miyamae-ku, Japan. izawapk@ga2.so-net.ne.jp
Oka
Koichiro
K
Watanabe
Satoshi
S
Yokoyama
Hitoshi
H
Hiraki
Koji
K
Morio
Yuji
Y
Kasahara
Yusuke
Y
Omiya
Kazuto
K
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003327:Coronary Disease / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003863:Depression / Q000175:diagnosis; D005260:Female; D018737:Hand Strength; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care; D011788:Quality of Life; D020377:Self Efficacy; D012727:Sex Characteristics; D012737:Sex Factors; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors