Religiosity and Spirituality During Cardiac Rehabilitation: A LONGITUDINAL EVALUATION OF PATIENT-REPORTED OUTCOMES AND EXERCISE CAPACITY.

Purpose: This study is a longitudinal evaluation of religiosity/spirituality (R/S) and religious coping in post-myocardial infarction and post-coronary artery bypass surgery patients during a 12-week cardiac rehabilitation program. This study examines change in R/S and the relationship between R/S and psychosocial outcomes and exercise capacity over time.

Methods: Cardiac rehabilitation patients (N = 105) completed measures of R/S, religious coping, quality of life (QOL), self-efficacy (SE), and energy expenditure (EE) at the beginning (baseline) and end of a 12-week program. Relationships between R/S and religious coping and QOL, SE, and EE were evaluated.

Results: A negative relationship emerged between baseline measures of R/S and religious coping and QOL, SE, and EE. There were significant increases in Good Deeds Coping, QOL, SE, and EE from baseline to end of program (Ps < .05). Baseline measures of Interpersonal Religious Support Coping were positively correlated with the change in EE from baseline to end (r = 0.21; P = .059), and there were positive correlations between the change in Experiential Religiosity (r = 0.32; P = .004) and Overall Religiosity (r = 0.25; P = .024) with the change in EE.

Discussion: The demonstrated relationships between R/S and Religious Coping and outcomes in cardiac patients provide compelling support for the development of spiritual care interventions for cardiac patients and evaluation of the impact of these interventions on physiological, medical, and psychological outcomes in these patients.