Predictors of exercise adherence in cardiac patients participating in a Phase II cardiac rehabilation program

The purpose of the study was to determine whether barrier and task efficacy influences exercise adherence in Phase II Cardiac Rehabilitation program in men and women who were participating in the Infirmary Health Systems in Mobile, Alabama. Through the research study, the exercise adherence among men and women was evaluated for factors to determine if barrier and task efficacy correlated with exercise adherence in the attendance of cardiac rehabilitation. In the measurement of the data collected, the data was examined to determine if the exercise adherence, barrier and task efficacy were gender specific. It was important to explore whether there were greater influences in women than men that prevent these cardiac patients from attending Phase II cardiac rehabilitation programs.;The majority of research examining self-efficacy and exercise adherence has been described as confidence in one's ability to perform the element aspects of a task, such as walking for 30 minutes at a prescribed heart rate. The purpose of this study was to explore the nature of barrier and task efficacy to determine if there was a correlation between exercise adherence and confidence in patients to exercise in Phase II cardiac rehabilitation programs. After the completion of the study, the confidence exhibited within the patients determined the exercise adherence to a healthy lifestyle change that included a regular exercise program in one's daily routine. If the patient has incorporated exercise within their routine, the benefits of cardiac rehabilitation would have decreased the likelihood of a cardiac event from reoccurring.;Results found that overall there was statistical significance in the measure of barrier and task efficacy in relationship to exercise adherence in the cardiac rehabilitation program. The independent variable of exercise adherence was analyzed by ANOVA with repeated measure for gender specific exercise adherence and structural equation modeling for an overall data analysis for the entire group of cardiac participants. It resulted in no significant change based on the concept of the dependent variables (p=.000). All the fit indexes suggest that it was not a good fit within the data. The sample size created sensitivity for the structure modeling data analysis for exercise adherence analysis. With a larger sample size, the results of the data analysis could have displayed more of significance in the findings. Using the ANOVA with repeated measure, the data analysis revealed that gender differences with exercise adherence, which is based off of the barrier and task efficacy questionnaires, had no significant difference in the results. In using the ANOVA with repeated measure, time (8 Weeks) was significantly related to exercise adherence based off of the barrier and task efficacy questionnaires.;It is suggested that future research examines a larger sample group, perhaps of all Gulf Coast Cardiac Rehabilitation Programs within a certain radius of Infirmary Heath Systems. The results of the study suggest future researchers examine the influence to the barrier and task efficacy with larger sample sizes. Due to the average age of the population in the sample size, future research may consider rewording the questions within the questionnaires to increase accuracy of the interpretation of the questions. Researchers may want to examine the strength of the economy before implementing a study within cardiac rehabilitation programs to reduce the effect of minimal participation in cardiac rehabilitations programs due to personal finances. Finally, it is suggested that the cardiac rehabilitation program evaluate the referral process to the program by focusing on the cardiac catheterization lab and the physicians' offices to encourage participation.;Future research may also want to focus on the physiological and psychology needs of the patients. After determining physiological and psychology needs of the patients, researchers may want to examine the benefit of utilizing a support group to increase their confidence in exercising with the fear of having a cardiac incident. As a part of the support system, designing an educational program to address nutritional and dietary challenges to the patients participating in the cardiac rehabilitation program would be beneficial based off the findings in the results. (Abstract shortened by UMI.)...