Effects of cardiac rehabilitation on psychosocial functioning and life satisfaction of coronary artery disease clients.

This article details a quantitative, descriptive study that explored the effects of participation in two types of cardiac rehabilitation programs on psychosocial functioning and life satisfaction. Forty-seven clients with coronary artery disease (CAD) were included in the study sample. Data were collected during a home visit made 6 to 8 weeks after the coronary event. All subjects completed two data collection tools: the Sickness Impact Profile (SIP), which measured clients' psychosocial functioning, and the Quality of Life Index (QLI), which measured clients' life satisfaction. No significant differences were found between the two treatment groups in psychosocial functioning or life satisfaction. Psychosocial functioning and life satisfaction were found to be related strongly. Further research efforts are needed to document empirically the influence of cardiac rehabilitation participation on the client's quality of life.