Self-Reported Behavioural and Medical Changes in Women after Their First Myocardial Infarction: A 4-Year Comparison Between Participation and Non-Participation in a Cardiac Rehabilitation Programme

Women's Social Support and Social Network after Their First Myocardial Infarction; A 4-Year Follow-Up with Focus on Cardiac Rehabilitation

Background: Knowledge about women's recovery following a myocardial infarction (MI) with focus on how their social support and network change over time as a result of participation in a cardiac rehabilitation programme (CRP) is not well established.

Aim: The aim of this study was to describe and compare social support and network changes over a 4-year period in women with a first MI, based on socio-demographic and situational data.

Method: A longitudinal, comparative study with a non-randomised design including pre- and post-tests (1 and 4 years after MI) was carried out in 18 hospitals in Sweden. Consecutively chosen women ( N = 240) answered a questionnaire on the subject of social support and network.

Results: The women who participated in a CRP were mainly dependent upon professional support during the first year after MI ( p < 0.0001), while those who declined to participate in a CRP needed professional support throughout the whole 4-year period ( p = 0.001). Participation in CRP was dependent on the women's age, those under 60 years ( p = 0.050).

Conclusion: There is a need to develop CRPs that are specifically designed for women based on their age and family relationships. Nurses' training programmes should place greater emphasis on cardiac rehabilitation from the perspective of women with focus on professional support.

Women's health after a first myocardial infarction: a comprehensive perspective on recovery over a 4-year period

BACKGROUND

Little attention has so far been focused on follow ups of women's long-term recovery after a myocardial infarction (MI), especially from a comprehensive perspective.

AIM

The aim of this study was to prospectively determine women's self-rated health after a first MI from a comprehensive perspective on recovery over a 4-year period.

METHODS

Consecutively chosen women (n=240) who had suffered a first MI were asked to complete a self-rated questionnaire regarding health (including not only biophysical, but also behavioral, emotional, social and working conditions) before being discharged from hospital as well as 1 and 4 years later. The results were analyzed by descriptive and inferential statistics.

RESULTS

Health improvements, especially during the first year, could be observed in the women's behavioral condition regarding their attitude to diet consciousness, exercise, simultaneous capability and smoking behavior as well as in the emotional condition regarding their stressful life events, depressed mood and loss of control. In the social condition, the women considered that the healthcare professionals had improved their support over time as well as treating the women's complaints more seriously. Regarding the working condition, the women felt that they were being controlled at work, especially during the first year after the MI.

CONCLUSIONS

Based on a comprehensive perspective on women's recovery after a first MI, a favorable development of the women's health was observed in the behavioral and emotional conditions while deterioration in the social and working conditions was observed over time. Thus, further efforts are needed in the two latter conditions by means of further studies in combination with greater support from healthcare professionals.