Positive Health Online | Research - BLOM and COLLEAGUES,

Research: BLOM and COLLEAGUES,

Abstract

BLOM and COLLEAGUES, Department of Public Health Sciences, Karolinska Institutet, and Center of Public Health, Stockholm County Council, Stockholm, Sweden investigated the effects of a 1-year stress management program on daily stress behaviour and social support among female CAD patients.

Background

Psychosocial stress may play a causative role in development and progression of coronary artery disease (CAD).

Methodology

Women, 247 (

Results

Daily stress scores for the intervention and control groups were at baseline 39.5 +/- 8.1 vs. 37.2 +/- 9.1 (p = 0.06), 10 weeks 37.2 +/- 8.0 vs. 35.5 +/- 9.4 (p = 0.20), 1-year 36.1 +/- 7.2 vs. 35.9 +/- 8.5 (p = 0.85), and at 1-2 year follow-up 34.0 +/- 7.8 vs. 35.3 +/- 8.7 (p = 0.32), respectively. Intention to treat analyses showed interaction between treatment and time [F(3,213) = 2.72; p = 0.01] reflecting that the decrease was more pronounced in the intervention group. There was no evidence for a difference in change concerning social support.

Conclusion

CAD women in the intervention group had a more pronounced reduction of self-rated daily stress behaviour over time compared to controls. However, as the intervention group had higher baseline values, due to regression toward the mean, we have no evidence that the difference in decrease of daily stress was due to the intervention.

References

Blom M, Georgiades A, Janszky I, Alinaghizadeh H, Lindvall B and Ahnve S. Daily stress and social support among women with CAD: results from a 1-year randomized controlled stress management intervention study. International Journal of Behavioral Medicine. 16 (3): 227-35. 2009.

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