title: Tai Chi as an adjunct physical activity for adults aged 45 years and older enrolled in phase III cardiac rehabilitation.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Cardiac rehabilitation improves physical, cognitive and psychosocial functioning, yet services are greatly underutilized with increasing patterns of attrition over time. Tai Chi has been suggested as a possible adjunct to cardiac rehabilitation exercise training.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To describe differences in physical, cognitive and psychosocial functioning among adults ≥ 45 years old attending phase III cardiac rehabilitation, who have or have not self-selected Tai Chi exercise as an adjunct physical activity.
  
  
  METHODS
  A cross-sectional design compared subjects attending group-based Wu style Tai Chi classes plus cardiac rehabilitation, with cardiac rehabilitation only. Subjects had a battery of physical and cognitive functioning tests administered to examine aerobic endurance, balance, strength, and flexibility, verbal retrieval/recall, attention, concentration and tracking. Subjects completed a health survey to ascertain cardiac event information, medical history, and psychosocial functioning (i.e. health-related quality of life, stress, depressive symptoms, social support, and Tai Chi self-efficacy).
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 51 subjects (75% married, 84% college-educated, 96% White/European-American) participated. Subjects were on average 70 (± 8) years old and had attended cardiac rehabilitation for 45 (± 37) months. Approximately 45% (n = 23) attended Tai Chi classes plus cardiac rehabilitation, while 55% (n = 28) attended cardiac rehabilitation only. Subjects attending Tai Chi plus cardiac rehabilitation had better balance, perceived physical health, and Tai Chi self-efficacy compared to those attending cardiac rehabilitation only (p ≤ 0.03).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Tai Chi can be easily implemented in any community/cardiac rehabilitation facility, and may offer adults additional options after a cardiac event.
authors.affiliation: Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Nurse Faculty Scholar, College of Nursing, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, United States. rtaylor@nursing.arizona.edu
authors.forename: Ruth E
authors.initials: RE
authors.lastname: Taylor-Piliae
authors.forename: Edna
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Silva
authors.forename: Sharon Peachey
authors.initials: SP
authors.lastname: Sheremeta
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003071:Cognition; D003151:Community Health Centers / Q000458:organization & administration; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005081:Exercise Therapy / Q000379:methods* / Q000451:nursing / Q000458:organization & administration; D005260:Female; D005851:Geriatric Nursing / Q000379:methods* / Q000458:organization & administration; D006306:Health Surveys; D006331:Heart Diseases / Q000451:nursing / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015397:Program Evaluation; D011594:Psychometrics; D011788:Quality of Life; D019145:Rehabilitation Nursing / Q000379:methods* / Q000458:organization & administration; D026302:Tai Ji / Q000379:methods* / Q000451:nursing / Q000458:organization & administration