The effects of 6-week and 12-week rehabilitation programs on the depression level of cardiac patients
General Material Designation
[Thesis]
First Statement of Responsibility
S. M. M. Hazavehei
Subsequent Statement of Responsibility
W. B. Cissell
.PUBLICATION, DISTRIBUTION, ETC
Name of Publisher, Distributor, etc.
Texas Woman's University
Date of Publication, Distribution, etc.
1994
PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION
Specific Material Designation and Extent of Item
168
DISSERTATION (THESIS) NOTE
Dissertation or thesis details and type of degree
Ph.D.
Body granting the degree
Texas Woman's University
Text preceding or following the note
1994
SUMMARY OR ABSTRACT
Text of Note
Cardiac patients after an event, such as myocardial infarction (MI), coronary artery bypass graft surgery (CABGs), and percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA), or/and heart transplant, commonly experience prolonged psychological depression following hospital discharge. This study was designed to investigate the effect of cardiac rehabilitation programs (CRPs) on the level of depression of cardiac patients. A three group, pre-, post-, and post-posttest, quasi-experimental study was designed to evaluate whether or not participating in 6-week (n = 31) or 12-week (n = 35) CRPs (experimental groups) affected the level of depression. Among the subjects, there were 113 cardiac patients, including 85 males and 28 females with the mean age of 64 (11.2) years. The CRPs were designed to enhance physical functioning, performance of activities of daily living, and educational information related to their condition. Levels of depression of patients were assessed by the Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS). The experimental groups completed the GDS questionnaire on three separate occasions, pretest, posttest (after 6 weeks), and post-posttest (after 12 weeks). The level of depression increased for all groups, but it increased most for the patients in the control group (n = 47). A significant difference (F = 72.11, p < 0.001) was found in the scores on the GDS for all groups between the testing points (pretest, posttest, & post-posttest). Also, a significant interaction was found between the length of time cardiac patients participated in CRPs and the groups to which they belonged (F = 3.96, p < 0.004). However, no significant difference was found between the groups (F =.44, p =.644). Thus, CRPs appear to be effective in cardiac patients who participate in them by enhancing coping ability and tolerance to increasing levels of depression over a period of time.