Abstract
Background:Several studies in non-diseased populations have shown that a relationship exists between the perceived environment (i.e., home and community) and moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA). Yet, little is known about this relationship in people living with heart disease. The purpose of the present study was to shed light on this issue. Methods: 269 patients were recruited that were < 65 years (55%), had < grade 12 education (59.5%), were male (74.3%), had coronary artery disease (51.3%), and had = 1 comorbidity. The patients completed a questionnaire assessing demographic, clinical, perceived home environment (e.g., having access to a treadmill), perceived access to MVPA opportunities in their communities (e.g., having access to walking trails), and physical activity variables at baseline, three, six, nine, and 12 months after hospitalization for heart disease. Charts were reviewed for height, weight and clinical diagnosis.Results:In terms of the home environment, partial correlations (i.e., controlling for age, gender, education, and season) between MVPA and each home environment variable showed that having skis (i.e., water and / or snow) was significantly related to increased MVPA at baseline (r = .14) and 6 months after hospitalization (r = .23), whereas having access to skates was also significant at 6 months (r = .13). In terms of the community environment, having access to courts (e.g.,tennis, basketball, etc…) was significantly related to MVPA 3 months after hospitalization (r = .21), whereas having access to walking paths was significantly related 9 months after hospitalization (r = .13). Conclusions:The relationship between the perceived environment and MVPA in heart disease patients appears to be time dependent. However, further studies need to incorporate objective environmental measures to better understand the role of the environment in heart disease patients.Acknowledgments: Nova Scotia Health Research Foundation