General Health and Lifestyle of Coronary Artery Patients aged under and over 45 years referring to Educational Centers, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences 2018

Abstract

Abastract Introduction: Cardiovascular diseases (CVD), as the most important cause of mortality, have now been recognized as an important health priority in the world. They can affect physical, mental and social aspects of health and one’s perception of wellness. Costs of treatment and care incurred by these diseases are enormous for both patients and society. On the other hand, the age of developing CVD have declined over the last years. Proper evaluation and control of risk factors for coronary artery diseases (CAD) are highly important for preventing and improving the health status of the society. Therefore, the purpose of this research was to explore the general health status and lifestyle of under 45 and 45 and older patients with coronary artery diseases and compare them with their counterpart control groups. Materials and methods: This research is descriptive, cross-sectional in kind. A total of 368 coronary patients hospitalized in Tabriz’s Shahid Madani Hospital and non-coronary patients hospitalized in Tabriz’s Shohada Hospital for accidents were selected by means of convenience sampling. The cases groups were divided into two age groups namely “under 45-year-old” and “45-year-old and older” and were matched to their counterpart control groups in terms of age (±3) and gender. Data collection tool was a questionnaire that measured three areas of demographic information and risk factors, general health (GHQ-28), and lifestyle. The data were analyzed descriptively and analytically in SPSS-24. Results: The mean general health scores of the under 45 patients (41.75±8.80) and their counterpart control group (61.35±7.65) were significantly different (p=0.001); the difference between the mean general health score of the 45 and older patients (40.02±11.22) and that of their counterpart control group (60.45±6.45) was also significant (p=0.001). The mean lifestyle scores of the under 45 patients (103.02±12.11) and their counterpart control group (123.83±10.35) were significantly different (p=0.001); the difference between the mean lifestyle score of the 45 and older patients (99.25±15.39) and that of their counterpart control group (129.02±10.65) was significant (p=0.001). Conclusion: Results of the research suggest that the risk factors for CAD were the same in both age groups except low physical activity and except poorer nutritional status in 45 and older patients. Therefore, primary and secondary prevention, risk factors control, and healthy lifestyle promotion in both age groups are of great importance and preventive programs for families and the society should be implemented at childhood and adolescence ages. Disruption of general health was an influential factor in the incidence of CAD in both age groups. When trying to prevent CAD, attention should be paid to instruction of influential factors in general health and its promotion to both of the age groups. It is therefore necessary to provide appropriate health interventions for promotion of general health and modification of unhealthy lifestyle in any age group.