Abstract:
Aim:This study was performed to investigate the gender differences of anxiety and depressive symptoms in Turkish cardiac
rehabilitation (CR) patients. We also aimed to reveal the gender differences of functionality status before and after CR.
Material and Methods: 53 patients who met the inclusion criteria were recruited. Depression was measured using Beck’s Depression
Inventory (BDI), anxiety was measured with the State and Trait Anxiety Inventories (STAI I-II) and functional status was measured
with The Dartmouth Primary Care Cooperative Information Project (COOP) and at two points in time: before and after CR. After
measuring anxiety, depression and functional status in both groups , participated in 36 cardiac rehabilitation sessions over a 12-
week period. At the end, anxiety and depression were measured again. Physiological values, such as maximum exercise capacity
(METs), average METs, maximum heart rate (HR), average HR, and left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), were recorded before and
after CR.
Results: There are statistically difference between the percent changes of average METs, maximum METs, BDI and STAI I-II scores
for male and female participants. There is no statistical difference among HR, maximum HR and LVEF. Feelings, daily activities, social
activities and total COOP scores were statistically significant between female and male patients.
Conclusion: Findings have shed light on cardiac rehabilitation for Turkish cardiac patients. According to the result, men are more
likely to benefit from CR than women in depressive and anxiety symptoms. Our study also revealed that before CR women had worse
functional status.
