title: Sense of coherence does not moderate the relationship between the perceived impact of stress on health and self-rated health in adults with congenital heart disease.
abstract: Adults with congenital heart disease seem to be more distressed than their healthy counterparts, which might render them even more susceptible to developing detrimental health outcomes. Previous research has confirmed the relationship between the perceived impact of stress on health and self-rated health. However, it remains unknown whether sense of coherence, a person's capacity to cope with stressors, moderates this relationship.
  
  
  
  This cross-sectional study aims to explore: the relationship between demographic and clinical characteristics, sense of coherence, and the perceived impact of stress on health; the relationship between the perceived impact of stress on health and self-rated health; and the moderating effect of sense of coherence in a sample of adults with congenital heart disease.
  
  
  
  Patients were recruited from the database of congenital and structural cardiology of a university hospital. The analytic sample included 255 patients (median age 35 years; 50% men). Data were obtained using self-report questionnaires and through medical record view. Univariate analyses and multiple regression analysis were conducted.
  
  
  
  The perceived impact of stress on health was negatively associated with sense of coherence (P<0.01), but there was no significant association with demographic or clinical characteristics. The perceived impact of stress on health and self-rated health were negatively associated (P<0.001), but sense of coherence did not moderate this relationship.
  
  
  
  Our findings support the need for further research on the perceived impact of stress on health. Such insights can be valuable for developing interventions aimed at reducing the negative health consequences of stress in patients with congenital heart disease.
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health and Primary Care, KU Leuven - University of Leuven, Belgium.
authors.forename: Silke
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Apers
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health and Primary Care, KU Leuven - University of Leuven, Belgium.
authors.forename: Lien
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Sevenants
authors.affiliation: Division of Congenital and Structural Cardiology, University Hospitals Leuven, KU Leuven - University of Leuven, Belgium.
authors.forename: Werner
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Budts
authors.affiliation: School Psychology and Child and Adolescent Development, KU Leuven - University of Leuven, Belgium.
authors.forename: Koen
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Luyckx
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health and Primary Care, KU Leuven - University of Leuven, Belgium Philip.Moons@kuleuven.be.|Division of Congenital and Structural Cardiology, University Hospitals Leuven, KU Leuven - University of Leuven, Belgium.|Institute of Health and Care Sciences, Gothenburg University, Sweden.
authors.forename: Philip
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Moons
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000328:Adult; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006330:Heart Defects, Congenital / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D060685:Sense of Coherence; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
keywords: Adult; chronic disease; heart defects, congenital; self-rated health; sense of coherence; stress, psychological