Physical activity and cardiac self-efficacy levels during early recovery after acute myocardial infarction : a Jordanian study

Shajrawi, A; Granat, MH; Jones, I; Astin, F

Abstract

Background: Regular physical activity is important for patients
with established coronary heart disease as it favorably influences
their coronary risk profile. General self-efficacy is a powerful
predictor of health behavior change that involves increases
in physical activity levels. Few studies have simultaneously
measured physical activity and self-efficacy during early recovery
after a first acute myocardial infarction (AMI).

Purpose: The aims of this study were to assess changes in objectively measured physical activity levels at 2 weeks (T2) and
6 weeks (T3) and self-reported cardiac self-efficacy at hospital
discharge (T1) and at T2 and T3 in patients recovering from AMI.

Methods: A repeated-measures design was used to recruit a
purposive sample of patients from a single center in Jordan who
were diagnosed with first AMI andwho did not have access to cardiac rehabilitation. A body-worn activity monitor (activPAL) was
used to objectively measure free-living physical activity levels for
7 consecutive days at two time points (T2 and T3). An Arabic version of the cardiac self-efficacy scale was administered at T1, T2, and T3. Paired t tests and analysis of variance were used to examine differences in physical activity levels and cardiac self-efficacy scores, respectively.

Results: A sample of 100 participants was recruited, of which
62%weremale. Themean age of the samplewas 54.5 ± 9.9 years.
No statistically significant difference in physical activity levels was
measured at 2 weeks (T2) and 6 weeks (T3). Cardiac self-efficacy
scores improved significantly between T1, T2, and T3 across subscales and global cardiac self-efficacy.
Conclusions/Implications for Practice: Participants recovering
from AMI in Jordan did not increase their physical activity levels
during the early recovery phase, although cardiac self-efficacy
scores improved. This may be because the increase in cardiac
self-efficacy was not matched by the practical skills and knowledge
required to translate this positive psychological construct into
behavioral change. This study provides a first step toward understanding the complex relationship between cardiac self-efficacy and physical activity in this population. The authors hope that these findings support the design of culturally appropriate interventions to increase physical activity levels in this population.

Citation

Shajrawi, A., Granat, M., Jones, I., & Astin, F. (2021). Physical activity and cardiac self-efficacy levels during early recovery after acute myocardial infarction : a Jordanian study. Journal of Nursing Research, 29(1), e131. https://doi.org/10.1097/jnr.0000000000000408

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Jan 9, 2020
• Online Publication Date: Oct 28, 2020
• Publication Date: Feb 1, 2021
• Deposit Date: Nov 5, 2020
• Publicly Available Date: Nov 5, 2020
• Journal: Journal of Nursing Research
• Print ISSN: 1682-3141
• Publisher: Lippincott, Williams & Wilkins
• Volume: 29
• Issue: 1
• Pages: e131
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1097/jnr.0000000000000408
• Publisher URL: https://doi.org/10.1097/jnr.0000000000000408
• Related Public URLs: https://journals.lww.com/jnr-twna