The Effects of a Cardiac Rehabilitation Program Tailored for Women on Global Quality of Life: A Randomized Clinical Trial

Abstract

Background: Women with heart disease have adverse psychosocial profiles and poor attendance in cardiac rehabilitation (CR) programs. Few studies examine CR programs tailored for women for improving their quality of life (QOL). Methods: This randomized clinical trial (RCT) compared QOL among women in a traditional CR program with that of women completing a tailored program that included motivational interviewing guided by the Transtheoretical Model (TTM) of behavior change. Two measures of QOL, the Multiple Discrepancies Theory questionnaire (MDT) and the Self-Anchoring Striving Scale (SASS), were administered to 225 women at baseline, postintervention, and 6-month follow-up. Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) was used to compare changes in QOL scores over time. Results: Baseline MDT and SASS scores were 35.1 and 35.5 and 7.1 and 7.0 for the tailored and traditional CR groups, respectively. Postintervention, MDT and SASS scores increased to 37.9 and 7.9, respectively, for the tailored group compared with 35.9 and 7.1 for the traditional group. Follow-up scores were 37.7 and 7.6 for the tailored group and 35.7 and 7.1 for the traditional group. Significant group by time interactions were found. Subsequent tests revealed that MDT and SASS scores for the traditional group did not differ over time. The tailored group showed significantly increased MDT and SASS scores from baseline to posttest, and despite slight attenuation from posttest to 6-month follow-up, MDT and SASS scores remained higher than baseline. Conclusions: The CR program tailored for women significantly improved global QOL compared with traditional CR. Future studies should explore the mechanisms by which such programs affect QOL.

Women’s experiences of undergoing coronary artery bypass graft surgery

“…Gender‐sensitive educational resources acknowledging private fears about coping with altered functioning, normal sensations and appropriate levels of physical activity could supplement support sessions. This concurs with the findings of Beckie and Beckstead (2010) in their comparison of a traditional cardiac rehabilitation programme with one tailored specifically for women. This randomized control trial identified that the programme tailored to women gave rise to improved quality of life following a cardiac event when compared with the traditional programme.…”

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“…328 Women completing the tailored intervention had significantly improved quality of life and depressive symptoms that were sustained at 6 months compared with those completing traditional CR. 320,329 The tailored intervention also improved 4 dimensions of health: vitality, social functioning, general health, and mental health. 330 Compared with traditional CR, the tailored intervention resulted in significantly greater attendance and higher completion rates.…”

Importance of characteristics and modalities of physical activity and exercise in the management of cardiovascular health in individuals with cardiovascular disease (Part III)

“…7,22,28,133,138,153 Rehabilitation programmes tailored for women may improve attendance and adherence 154 and may be superior in improvement of quality of life, if compared to traditional rehabilitation programmes. 154 Additional research examining the efficacy of gender-specific and gender-sensitive cardiac rehabilitation programmes, however, remains a major task.…”