title: An examination of psychosocial correlates of exercise tolerance in cardiac rehabilitation participants.
abstract: This study explored the influence of psychosocial factors on an important prognostic indictor among heart patients, exercise tolerance (ET). Prior to attending cardiac rehabilitation (CR), 100 men and 24 women completed a survey assessing social support and self-efficacy for exercise in CR followed by an ET test (ETT) measured in metabolic equivalents (METS) 1 month later. Regression analyses showed that age was the strongest predictor of METS, but that income and the psychosocial variables also significantly impacted on METS. Overall, 50% of the variance in METS was explained by the predictor variables. These results show that psychosocial factors affect the ET of heart patients. Future research should examine the prognostic role of these psychosocial factors as they affect ET as well as their influence on behavioral mechanisms such as exercise.
authors.affiliation: Centre for Nursing and Health Studies, Athabasca University, Athabasca, T9S3A3, Alberta, Canada. shawn.fraser@athabascau.ca
authors.forename: Shawn N
authors.initials: SN
authors.lastname: Fraser
authors.forename: Wendy M
authors.initials: WM
authors.lastname: Rodgers
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D017130:Angioplasty / Q000523:psychology / Q000534:rehabilitation; D001026:Coronary Artery Bypass / Q000523:psychology / Q000534:rehabilitation; D003324:Coronary Artery Disease / Q000523:psychology / Q000534:rehabilitation; D005081:Exercise Therapy / Q000523:psychology*; D017079:Exercise Tolerance; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006331:Heart Diseases / Q000523:psychology* / Q000534:rehabilitation / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008960:Models, Psychological; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000523:psychology / Q000534:rehabilitation; D020377:Self Efficacy; D012944:Social Support; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors