The prevalence and correlates of mind-body therapy practices in patients with acute coronary syndrome.
OBJECTIVE
While the benefits of mind-body therapy (MBT) for cardiac secondary prevention continues to be investigated, the prevalence of such practices by cardiac patients is not well known. The aim of this study was to quantitatively examine the prevalence of MBT practice and its sociodemographic, clinical, psychosocial and behavioral correlates among patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS).


METHODS
Six hundred and sixty-one ACS in-patients (75% response rate) recruited from three hospitals completed a demographic survey, and clinical data were extracted from charts. Four hundred and sixty five patients (81% retention rate; 110 (23.7%) female) responded to an 18-month post-discharge survey that queried about MBT use and its correlates.


RESULTS
One hundred and sixty-three (35.1%) ACS patients practised MBT in their lifetime, and 118 (25.4%) were currently practising. MBT users were more often women (OR = 2.98), nonwhite (OR = 2.17), had higher levels of education (OR = 2.22), past smokers (OR = 3.33), reported poorer mental health (OR = 2.15), and engaged in more exercise (OR = 1.65).


CONCLUSIONS
One-third of ACS patients practised some form of MBT. The greater MBT practice among female ACS patients is noteworthy, given their generally lower physical activity and lower receipt of evidence-based treatments including cardiac rehabilitation. In addition, there is some evidence that MBT can promote mental well-being, and thus such practice might reduce risk related to negative affect in cardiac patients.
Leung
Yvonne W
YW
222A Bethune College, York University, Toronto, Ont, Canada. yleung@yorku.ca
Tamim
Hala
H
Stewart
Donna E
DE
Arthur
Heather M
HM
Grace
Sherry L
SL
D054058:Acute Coronary Syndrome / Q000628:therapy*; D000368:Aged; D002170:Canada; D015897:Comorbidity; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D026441:Mind-Body Therapies / Q000379:methods / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D015995:Prevalence; D012064:Relaxation Therapy / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012923:Social Class; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires