Family Practice Advance Access published online on October 21, 2005
Family Practice, doi:10.1093/fampra/cmi089
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
1 Research Unit in Health Behaviour and Change, School of Clinical Sciences and Community Health, University of Edinburgh Medical School, Teviot Place, Edinburgh EH8 9AG, UK
* To whom correspondence should be addressed. 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.
Received October 6, 2004
Accepted September 1, 2005
Article
Recovering from a heart attack: a qualitative study into lay experiences and the struggle to make lifestyle changes
2 Bostock Consulting, Edinburgh, UK
Susan Gregory, E-mail: s.gregory{at}ed.ac.uk
Abstract 
CiteULike 
Connotea 
Del.icio.us What's this?
This article has been cited by other articles:
|
|
 |
|
  M. Allison and C. Campbell "Maybe It Could Be a Heart Attack . . . But I'm Only 31": Young Men's Lived Experience of Myocardial Infarction--An Exploratory Study American Journal of Men's Health, June 1, 2009; 3(2): 116 - 125. [Abstract] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 A. Baigi, C. Hildingh, H. Virdhall, and B. Fridlund Sense of coherence as well as social support and network as perceived by patients with a suspected or manifest myocardial infarction: a short-term follow-up study Clinical Rehabilitation, July 1, 2008; 22(7): 646 - 652. [Abstract] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 M. Jones, K. Jolly, J. Raftery, G. Y. Lip, S. Greenfield, and on behalf of the BRUM Steering Committee 'DNA' may not mean 'did not participate': a qualitative study of reasons for non-adherence at home- and centre-based cardiac rehabilitation Fam. Pract., August 1, 2007; 24(4): 343 - 357. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 M. A. Harris, R. Oelbaum, and D. Flomo State of the Art Reviews: Changing and Adhering to Lifestyle Changes: What Are the Keys? American Journal of Lifestyle Medicine, May 1, 2007; 1(3): 214 - 219. [Abstract] [PDF]
|
|