Authors: AnnaMari Aalto Arja R Aro John Weinman Monique Heijmans Kristiina Manderbacka Marko Elovainio
Publish Date: 2006/07/07
Volume: 15, Issue: 8, Pages: 1307-1322
Abstract
This oneyear followup study n = 130 at baseline n =2745 at followup aged 45–74 years examined the relationship of patients’ perceptions of coronary heart disease CHD and illnessrelated factors with global health status and global quality of life QOL ratings The independent variables were CHD history myocardial infarction revascularisation CHD severity use of nitrates CHD risk factors and comorbidities and illness perceptions In multivariate regression analysis CHD history and severity explained 13 of variance in global health status and 8 in global QOL ratings at the baseline Illness perceptions increased the share of explained variance by 18 and 16 respectively In the followup illness perceptions explained a significant but modest share of variance in change in health status and QOL when baseline health status and QOL and CHD severity were adjusted for more symptoms being attributed to CHD severe perceived consequences of CHD as well as a weak belief in the controllability of CHD were related to poor global health status and QOL ratings In structural path models associations of CHD severity factors were mediated by illness perceptions The association of disease severity with dependent variables was weaker after controlling for illness perceptions Cognitive representations of CHD contribute to both global health status and QOL ratings and they also mediate the associations between CHD severity and wellbeing No gender differences were found in associations of illness perceptions with health status or QOL ratings
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