Sahlgrenska Academy at Göteborg University, Sweden.
J Cardiovasc Nurs. 2010 Mar-Apr;25(2):E1-E10. doi: 10.1097/JCN.0b013e3181c6dcfd.
: Health-related quality of life (HRQoL) is impaired in patients after a myocardial infarction (MI), and fatigue and depression are common health complaints among these patients. Patients' own beliefs about their illness (illness perceptions) influence health behavior and health outcomes. The aim of the present study was to examine illness perception and its association with self-reported HRQoL, fatigue, and emotional distress among patients with MI.
: The sample consisted of 204 patients who had had MI and who completed the questionnaires during the first week in the hospital and 4 months after the MI. The questionnaires used were the Illness Perception Questionnaire, Multidimensional Fatigue Inventory, Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, and the Short Form Health Survey (SF-36).
: Patient's illness perception changed over time from a more acute to a more chronic perception of illness, and beliefs in personal and treatment control of MI had decreased. Furthermore, these negative beliefs were associated with worse experiences of fatigue and lowered HRQoL.
: Patients' illness perceptions influence health outcomes after an MI. Supporting MI patients in increasing their perception of personal control could be a primary nursing strategy in rehabilitation programs aimed at facilitating health behavior, decreasing experiences of fatigue, and increasing HRQoL.
心肌梗死后患者的健康相关生活质量（HRQoL）受损，疲劳和抑郁是这些患者常见的健康问题。患者对自身疾病的信念（疾病认知）会影响健康行为和健康结果。本研究旨在探讨心肌梗死后患者的疾病认知及其与自报 HRQoL、疲劳和情绪困扰的关系。
该样本由 204 名心肌梗死后患者组成，他们在住院第一周和 MI 后 4 个月完成了问卷。使用的问卷包括疾病认知问卷、多维疲劳量表、医院焦虑抑郁量表和简明健康调查量表（SF-36）。
患者的疾病认知随时间从急性向慢性转变，对 MI 的个人和治疗控制的信念下降。此外，这些负面信念与更严重的疲劳和降低的 HRQoL 相关。
患者的疾病认知会影响心肌梗死后的健康结果。在康复计划中支持 MI 患者增加对个人控制的认知可能是促进健康行为、减少疲劳体验和提高 HRQoL 的主要护理策略。
