Health-promoting lifestyle and quality of life in long-term cardiac transplant recipeints

Abstract

We previously reported that long-term cardiac transplant recipients (LTCTR) do not consistently include health promotion measures in their lives even though (some of) these measures have a positive impact on health. The purpose of this study, guided by the Health Promotion Model, is to further examine the lifestyle and health status of LTCTRs and determine factors contributing to their quality of life (QOL). The sample for this cross-sectional study consisted of 92 LTCTRs from two transplant programs. Study variables included: (a) patient characteristics measured with a Demographic Data Questionnaire, (b) barriers to healthy behavior measured with the Barriers Scale (alpha=.86), (c) self efficacy measured with the Perceived Health Competence Scale (alpha=.86), (d) lifestyle measured with the Health-Promoting Lifestyle Profile-II (alpha=.89), overall health status (HS) measured with item #1 of the SF-36 and (e) QOL/Life Satisfaaction measured with The Quality of Life Index--Cardiac Version (alpha=.95). Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, tests of significance, and multiple regression. Subjects were 57 years of age, male (91.3%), Caucasian (77.2%), married (68.5%), well-educated (42.4%> high school education), and 101.4 months post transplant. The most frequently reported lifestyle characteristic was Spiritual Growth and least frequently reported was Physical Activity. Health status was rated as ‘good‘. Predictors of QOL included non-ischemic etiology of heart failure (B = .26; p=.002), fewer barriers (B = -.24; p=.03), a health-promoting lifestyle (B = .20; p=.043), and greater perceptions of competence to manage their health (B = .32; p=.004). These variables explained 46% of the variance in QOL (F=18.36; p=.0001). Result have implications foron-going patient education in order to improve ability to reduce barriers and manage their health, lead healthier lives, and limit risk factors that contribute to transplant co-morbidities that affect quality of life.