title: Effects of phase II cardiac rehabilitation on job stress and health-related quality of life after return to work in middle-aged patients with acute myocardial infarction.
abstract: The aim of the present study was to clarify the effects of phase II cardiac rehabilitation (CR) on job stress and health-related quality of life (HRQOL) after return to work in middle-aged patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI). A total of 109 middle-aged outpatients (57 +/- 7 years) who completed a phase I CR program after AMI were enrolled, 72 of whom participated in a phase II CR program for 5 months after hospital discharge (CR group) and 37 who discontinued the phase II CR program after the discharge (non-CR group). Job stress was assessed at 6 months after the AMI using a brief job stress questionnaire containing questions related to job stressors, worksite support, level of satisfaction with work or daily life, and psychological distress. HRQOL was assessed using the short-form 36-item health survey (SF-36) at hospital discharge and at 3 and 6 months after the AMI. There were no significant differences in clinical and occupational characteristics between the CR and non-CR groups. The CR group patients exhibited significantly better results for job stressors and psychological distress and higher SF-36 scores at 6 months after the AMI, as compared with those in the non-CR group. These findings suggest that discontinuing a phase II CR program induced chronic psychosocial stress after return to work in these middle-aged post-AMI patients.
authors.affiliation: Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kitasato University Hospital.
authors.forename: Ryusuke
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Yonezawa
authors.forename: Takashi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Masuda
authors.forename: Atsuhiko
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Matsunaga
authors.forename: Yumi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Takahashi
authors.forename: Masakazu
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Saitoh
authors.forename: Akira
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ishii
authors.forename: Toshiki
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kutsuna
authors.forename: Takuya
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Matsumoto
authors.forename: Kazuya
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Yamamoto
authors.forename: Naoko
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Aiba
authors.forename: Miyako
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hara
authors.forename: Tohru
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Izumi
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000328:Adult; D000553:Ambulatory Care; D015906:Angioplasty, Balloon, Coronary / Q000523:psychology / Q000534:rehabilitation; D001007:Anxiety / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology; D001026:Coronary Artery Bypass / Q000523:psychology / Q000534:rehabilitation; D003863:Depression / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007588:Job Satisfaction; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000523:psychology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology*; D012050:Rehabilitation, Vocational / Q000523:psychology*; D012944:Social Support; D013001:Somatoform Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000150:complications*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D016526:Workload / Q000523:psychology*