LE3 .A278 2021

2021

Shields, Chris

Acadia University

Bachelor of Science

Honours

Psychology

Psychology

Heart disease and stroke represent the 2nd and 3rd leading cause of death in Nova Scotia; however, survival rates in these clinical populations are high and continuing to improve. The purpose of this study is to examine the following three research questions: Are there relationships between a cardiac patient’s level of mild cognitive impairment versus their perceived level of disability? Does participation in an exercise and education-based CR program change a patient’s cognitive abilities as well as their perceptions of disability? And finally, does the level of mild cognitive impairment and perceived level of disability predict cardiac patient QOL? Patients attending the Extended Warranty II Cardiac Rehabilitation Program completed four questionnaires measuring cognitive functioning, disability, self-efficacy (SE), and QOL at the start and end of the program. Results showed no relationship between overall perceived level of disability and functional capacity or cognitive impairment, although select aspects within those constructs were related to specific aspects of disability. There was no significant difference in cognitive impairment and perceptions of disability from T1 and T2 of the program. Lastly, impairment status (cognitive functioning) and perceived level of disability at baseline, predicted QOL post CR, with cognitive functioning as the strongest predictor ((b= 0.93, R2 = 0.86). The results of this study will highlight the effects of an exercise-based CR program on QOL, disability perceptions, cognitive impairment and SE. Knowing the effects may inform CR practices to improve the clinical understanding of cardiac event survivors with the goal of achieving a better QOL for these patients while reducing hospital readmits.

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https://scholar.acadiau.ca/islandora/object/theses:3600