Purposiveness, physical activity, and perceived health in cardiac patients

PURPOSE: This study examined the relationship of purposiveness, defined as maintaining purpose in life and a sense of personal growth, with physical activity and perceived health in a sample of cardiac outpatients. METHOD: Participants were 130 outpatients recruited through medical settings serving cardiac patients in a southwestern US community. Participants had an average age of 60 years (SD 12.37). Participants responded to a structured questionnaire at the medical setting. The hypothesized mediational model was tested using Latent Variable Structural Equations Analysis (LISREL) 8. RESULTS: As hypothesized, the results of a LISREL analysis showed that a sense of purposiveness predicted more positive perceived health. Further, as predicted, this relation was mediated by physical activity. Purposiveness was linked to more physical activity, and a high level of physical activity, in turn, predicted better perceived health. A two-group LISREL analysis indicated that the model was equally valid for both sexes. CONCLUSIONS: The present results underscore the importance in cardiac rehabilitation of the continued study of factors that foster meaning in life, including a sense of purpose and individual growth, and of their potential to promote recovery of cardiac patients.