Valued Life Activities, Smoking Cessation, and Mood in Post-Acute Coronary Syndrome Patients

Continued engagement in valued life activities is a protective factor for depression and has been linked to readiness to quit smoking in medical populations but has never been examined among acute coronary syndrome (ACS) patients.

The purpose of this study is to investigate relationships among valued life activities, mood, and smoking post-ACS.

Participants were 54 post-ACS patients who were smoking before ACS hospitalization. Data on mood, smoking status, engagement in valued activities, restriction of valued activities, and satisfactory replacement of restricted activities was collected 1-12 months post-ACS.

Depressive symptoms were associated with both less valued activity engagement and greater valued activity restriction. Positive affect was associated with greater valued activity engagement and negative affect was associated with greater valued activity restriction. Satisfactory replacement of restricted activities was associated with greater positive affect, fewer depressive symptoms, and quitting smoking post-ACS. The majority of these relationships remained significant after controlling for relevant covariates, including physical functioning.

Valued activity restriction and engagement may contribute to depressed mood and failure to quit smoking in ACS patients. Psychotherapies that target greater engagement in valued life activities deserve further investigation in ACS patients.