PREDICTORS OF ACTIVITY LEVELS IN PATIENTS WITH CONGESTIVE HEART FAILURE (FUNCTIONAL CAPACITY, HEART FAILURE, EXERCISE).
Contributors: University of California, San Francisco.
Published: 1991
Number of pages: 215
Subjects: Health Sciences, Nursing.
Description: The purpose of this study was to determine psychologic and physiologic predictors of physical activity levels of patients with congestive heart failure. Specific variables examined included: anaerobic threshold, a measure of submaximal exercise; maximal oxygen uptake, a measure of maximal exercise; self-efficacy expectation for walking, general activity, and health maintenance to determine perceptions of capabilities of physical activity; and perceived exertion during Vitalog monitored physical activity, submaximal and maximal exercise. Subjects performed a symptom-limited exercise test with respiratory gas analysis and wore a Vitalog monitor no sooner than 24 hours after the completion of, or prior to, the exercise test. Subjects also kept a log of the most strenuous physical activity they performed while wearing the Vitalog monitor, including the type, duration, perceived exertion and symptoms experienced during the activity. Subjects also completed the Jenkins self-efficacy expectation scales and activity checklists prior to the exercise test.

The study sample consisted of 47 subjects mostly males (83%), with a mean age of 60, with various etiologies of congestive heart failure. The functional capacity of this sample was low as was self-efficacy. The relationship between self-efficacy for walking and exercise capacity was.32 to.35. A moderate, inverse relationship was demonstrated between self-efficacy for walking (r = $-$.33, p =.02) and general activity (r = $-$.35, p =.02) and self-reported activity for walking (r = $-$.33, p =.02) and New York Heart Association functional classification. Although activity levels were low, most subjects reported no symptoms during physical activity (49%). Others reported dyspnea (21%), fatigue (15%) and sore muscles/joints (15%). When the percentage of agreement between the primary limiting symptoms were compared during exercise testing and Vitalog monitored physical activity, the two most common symptoms reported were fatigue (42%) followed by dyspnea (40%). Those who did not report symptoms considered the physical activity to be less strenuous than those who experienced symptoms. The selected variables were not found to be predictive of Vitalog monitored physical activity which may reflect the problems related to the instrument used to monitor physical activity or because of the particular combination of variables selected for this study.
Notes: Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 52-04, Section: B, page: 1958.

Thesis (D.N.S.)--UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, SAN FRANCISCO, 1991.

School code: 0034.