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Abstract

This study was conducted to determine whether first time myocardial infarction (MI) patients who participated in both hospital-based and outpatient cardiac education programs were more knowledgeable about heart disease and engaged in health promotion/protective behaviours as a way of life to a greater extent than those who participated only in a hospital-based cardiac education program. A quasi-experimental pretest-posttest control group design was used for this study. The conceptual framework for this study was adapted from Hilton's (1986) Health Promotion/Protective Model. One hundred and two first time MI patients between the ages of 32 and 80 were recruited from a major teaching hospital in western Canada. Seventy-two of these subjects completed the study by answering and returning the Health Promoting Lifestyle Profile (HPLP) and the Heart Health Knowledge Quiz (HHKQ) in the hospital while recovering from their MI, and again four to six months later. The 25 subjects in the experimental group participated in outpatient cardiac education. The remaining 47 subjects were placed in the control group. The t-test for independent groups was performed on the posttest HHKQ scores to determine if first time MI patients who participated in outpatient cardiac education were more knowledgeable regarding heart disease and health behaviours four to six months after hospital discharge than those who did not. There was a significant increase in HHKQ total mean scores and nutrition sub-test mean scores for the experimental group at the posttest stage. The t-test for independent groups was also performed on the posttest HPLP scores to determine if first time MI patients who participated in outpatient cardiac- education engaged in health promotion/protective behaviours to a greater extent four to six months later than those who did not. No differences between the groups were found in the HPLP total scores and sub-scale scores. Other investigators found similar results in that the experimental groups did not engage in health promotion/protective behaviours as a way of life to a greater extent than the control group. These results provide direction regarding the structure of outpatient cardiac education programs. The focus of class content could be less on formal teaching on selected topics such as physical activity, and more on participation in exercises and stress-reducing activities. More discussion regarding attitudes that motivate class participants to engage in health promotion/protective behaviours is indicated from the results of this study.