Cardiac Rehabilitation and Activities of Daily Living in Women After Myocardial Infarction

Abstract

This work was a replication of a study in which the level of physical activity in women following myocardial infarction (MI) was compared to their level of activity before MI. An extension of the initial work included an investigation of an association between activity levels in women post-MI and participation in a cardiac rehabilitation (CR) program. A sample of 52 post-MI women responded to a mailed survey. The women were categorized according to age (45-64 years and 65-90 years) and whether they had participated in a cardiac rehabilitation (CR) program post-MI. According to t-test analysis, there were no significant differences in 14 activities of daily living (ADL) when comparing women who had participated in CR with the women who had not participated in CR. An examination of the two age groups and their 14 ADLs, using a t-test analysis, revealed that the older women spent significantly less time doing housework and dusting, compared to the younger women. A chi-square concluded there was no difference in participation in CR programs between younger women compared to older women.