A comparison of female and male cardiac patients' response to nursing care promoting nutritional self-care

Abstract

Men and women were compared on their responses to Orem-based nursing care designed to support nutritional self-care in myocardial infarction patients, sixty-two men and 42 women were randomly assigned to treatment or control groups, interviewed in hospital, and assessed for eating habits 7 weeks after discharge. Nursing care took place with the treatment group in their homes the week after they were discharged from hospital. Seven weeks later the 3-day diet record analysis showed that although eating habits differed between the sexes, both men and women responded to the nursing care by consuming less total fat and saturated fat compared to controls. There were no significant differences between males and females regarding incidence of obesity or diabetes, their smoking pattern, or on measures of self-care agency or self-efficacy. Men perceived higher levels of social support for healthy eating.