title: Effect of continuous care model on lifestyle of patients with myocardial infarction.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Myocardial infarction (MI) is a life threatening disease that influences the physical, psychological and social dimensions of the individual. Improper lifestyle is one of the causes of this disease. The use of nursing models could be one of the important and fundamental steps in changing the risk factors associated with MI. This study was carried out to evaluate the effect of continuous care model on the lifestyle of patients with MI.
  
  
  METHODS
  This randomized clinical trial was carried out on 70 patients with MI in coronary care units of hospitals affiliated to Shiraz University of Medical Sciences. Enrolled patients were randomly assigned to intervention or control groups using a randomization list (random permutated blocks with length 4). The continuous care model was used for 35 patients in the intervention group for a period of 3 months and in the control group, the usual cares were applied for 35 patients. Data were collected through lifestyle questionnaire before the intervention and 3 months after. The data were analyzed using chi-square, independent t-test and paired t-test.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Patients in the intervention group showed significant improvements in lifestyle (125.6 ± 15.4 vs. 180.1 ± 19.9). Moreover, the lifestyle score of intervention group was significantly better than that of the control group (117.9 ± 22.0 vs. 180.1 ± 19.9; P < 0.001) after three months.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Applying a continuous care model had positive effects on the lifestyle of patients with Myocardial Infarction. In order to reduce the risk factors and improve the lifestyle of patients with MI, nurses could use this model to create an effective change.
authors.affiliation: Assistant Professor, Department of Nursing, School of Nursing and Midwifery, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran.
authors.forename: Zahra
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Molazem
authors.forename: Soheila
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Rezaei
authors.forename: Zinat
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Mohebbi
authors.forename: Mohammad-Ali
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Ostovan
authors.forename: Sareh
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Keshavarzi
keywords: Continuous Care Model; Lifestyle; Myocardial Infarction