Depressive Mood after a Cardiac Event: Gender Inequality and Participation in Rehabilitation Programme

BACKGROUND: Depressive mood after a cardiac event is common with serious consequences for the patient. AIMS: To compare gender in depressive mood during the first year after a cardiac event and to evaluate the effect of participating in a multidimensional secondary prevention program on depressive mood. METHODS: 166 men and 54 women, <73 years, consecutively answered a questionnaire concerning depressive mood at 2 weeks, 6 weeks, 5 months and 1 year after discharge after a cardiac event. At 2 weeks, each patient met a nurse, and was informed about the disease and received individual support about lifestyle changes. Of those invited to participate in a secondary prevention program, 127 patients accepted, and 93 declined participation. RESULTS: At each of the four follow-ups, women had significantly higher depression scores than men. Depressive mood in both women and men was significantly reduced at 6 weeks. Thereafter, it increased to the 2-week level in women and to above the 2-week level in men. No differences were seen in patients participating or not in secondary prevention programs. CONCLUSION: Women had higher depressive mood scores than men and secondary prevention programs failed to improve depressive mood in both women and men.