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Women's hearts need special treatment
Gunilla Burell1, Brittmarie Granlund
1Department of Behavioral Medicine, Umeå University, S-901 85 Umeå, Sweden.
Insights
A pilot study assessed a stress management program for women with coronary heart disease (CHD). The program proved feasible, showing low dropout rates and improvements in quality of life and stress reduction for female CHD patients.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Psychology
- Public Health
Background:
- Coronary heart disease (CHD) is a leading cause of death globally, with noted disparities in mortality decline between men and women.
- Historically, research on CHD risk factors, diagnosis, prognosis, and rehabilitation has predominantly focused on male populations.
- Addressing gender-specific needs and knowledge gaps in women with CHD is crucial for effective treatment and rehabilitation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the feasibility of a structured stress management program tailored for women diagnosed with coronary heart disease (CHD).
- To evaluate the program's impact on quality of life, stress levels, and symptom reduction in female CHD patients.
Main Methods:
- A pilot study was conducted involving a year-long stress management program.
- The program comprised twenty 2-hour group sessions, with group sizes ranging from 5 to 9 participants.
- Feasibility was assessed through participant dropout rates.
Main Results:
- The stress management program demonstrated a low dropout rate, indicating good feasibility among women with CHD.
- Participants experienced significant improvements in their quality of life.
- The program led to a notable reduction in perceived stress and CHD-related symptoms.
Conclusions:
- The pilot stress management program is a feasible and beneficial intervention for women with coronary heart disease (CHD).
- Psychosocial interventions, including stress management, should be integrated into cardiac rehabilitation strategies for women.
- Further research is warranted to optimize psychosocial interventions for this demographic.
Abstract:
Coronary heart disease (CHD) is the leading cause of death for both men and women in the Western world. Some studies show that the observed decline in cardiovascular mortality is not as pronounced among women as among men. There is a growing awareness that most earlier studies both on primary and secondary risk factors, diagnosis, prognosis, and rehabilitation have focused mainly on men. Thus, there is a need to develop knowledge about women with CHD and to address gender issues in treatment and rehabilitation strategies. Negative affect and emotions increase risk and may interfere with effective cardiac rehabilitation. Therefore, methods for coping with emotional stress need to be included in treatment regimens after a coronary event. The feasibility of a stress management program for women with CHD was assessed in a pilot study. The program consisted of twenty 2-hr group sessions during 1 year, with 5 to 9 participants per group. The pilot study showed that this treatment program had a low dropout rate and resulted in improvement in quality of life and reduction in stress and symptoms. Further work to optimize psychosocial interventions for women with CHD is needed.