Life satisfaction, illness behaviour, and rehabilitation outcome: results of a one year follow-up study with cardiac patients

Abstract

One year after an inpatient cardiac rehabilitation programme, 83 out of 105 male cardiac patients were subjected to a follow-up study. Data collection comprised the Life Satisfaction Questionnaire, the Freiburg Personality Inventory, the Freiburg Somatic Complaint List, an adjective list for current mood, and a follow-up questionnaire assessing life habits, health and work status. One year after discharge, reported life satisfaction is lower than at the end of the treatment, with the exception of the areas health and leisure time. Physical complaints and emotional liability increased as well. On the other hand, patients' ratings of the success of the rehabilitation programme remain unchanged, with positive evaluations on completion of treatment as well as at follow-up one year later. At the start of rehabilitation, patients were divided into two groups with high or low life satisfaction according to their questionnaire scores. Various medical variables showed no differences between these groups. However, at follow-up, 90% of the patients with high life satisfaction and only 66% of those with low satisfaction were back at work. Resumption of work, although depending on the physician's rating, is influenced to a high degree by non-medical factors. These diverse factors are discussed in connection with patients' illness behaviour.