Physical activity and psychosocial function following cardiac rehabilitation: One-year follow-up of the ENHANCED study

Abstract

Objective: To examine the long-term association between physical activity (PA) and psychosocial functioning following completion of cardiac rehabilitation (CR) among participants in the ENHANCED study.

Method: ENHANCED was a 3-month clinical trial examining standard CR with and without stress management training (SMT). Participants completed the Leisure-Time Exercise Questionnaire (LTEQ), Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II), and the Spielberger State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) at baseline, 3- and 12-months after randomization. Prospective associations between physical activity and psychosocial function, as well as treatment group differences, were examined using repeated measures mixed modeling.

Results: One hundred nineteen participants were available at 12month follow-up. During the 12-month follow-up, PA remained higher compared to baseline (P<0.001), with the majority of participants reporting that they engaged in PA on a regular basis. Depressive and anxious symptoms continued to remain lower than baseline (Ps<0.001) Higher levels of PA at 12-month follow-up were associated with lower depressive (P=0.032) and anxious (P=0.003) symptoms.

Conclusions: Higher physical activity levels following CR are associated with lower depressive and anxious symptoms. Encouraging patients to sustain higher levels of PA may promote both cardiovascular and mental health.

Keywords: Anxiety; Cardiac rehabilitation; Depression; Physical activity.