Among 53 patients recovering from myocardial infarction, the majority expressed a strong desire for long-term monitoring, mutual support, and regular contact with health professionals.
What are the barriers and facilitators to following lifestyle advice in patients recovering from myocardial infarction?
Patients recovering from myocardial infarction desire long-term monitoring and support to successfully implement and maintain lifestyle changes.
BACKGROUND: The adoption of healthy living advice by people with heart disease is known to be poor even in targeted interventions. Reasons for this can range from confusion about the seriousness of the condition to ineffectiveness in the form of advice and how it is conveyed. However, the social setting can be an important influence on lifestyle change. OBJECTIVES: To identify views and experiences of people recovering from myocardial infarction, specifically barriers to, and facilitators of, following advice about lifestyle change and maintenance. METHODS: Focus groups and interviews were undertaken with men and women discharged from hospital two/three years previously. A total of 53 people (35 men and 18 women) took part, recruited via a coronary care unit and patients' GPs. RESULTS: A major finding was participants' desires for long-term monitoring and support. While reported sources, form and content of coronary heart disease advice varied, most participants agreed that long-term follow up or back-up would be helpful, although what this should include and how it should be undertaken was not the same for all participants. This would fulfil needs such as: help in following lifestyle advice; sharing with people with similar experiences; regular contact with medical/health professionals (for confirmation of good heath and to ask questions); providing reassurance to other members of the patients' families. CONCLUSIONS: A long-term programme is needed incorporating mutual support and sharing with regular (not necessarily frequent) input from practitioners of information, advice and reassurance, as a support strategy for lifestyle change.
Gregory et al. (Fri,) conducted a other in Myocardial infarction (n=53). Lifestyle change advice and maintenance was evaluated on Views and experiences regarding barriers to and facilitators of following lifestyle change advice. Among 53 patients recovering from myocardial infarction, the majority expressed a strong desire for long-term monitoring, mutual support, and regular contact with health professionals.