Demographic factors and quality of life of patients after myocardial infarction

Introduction
Myocardial infarction is a serious problem for many patients, but despite the associated risks, the patient can lead a normal life and the infarction incident itself usually does not limit the patient’s future possibilities.

Aim
To evaluate the quality of life of patients after myocardial infarction.

Material and methods
The study was carried out using the diagnostic survey method with the use of a self-designed questionnaire and the WHOQOL-BREF standardized questionnaire. 100 patients of St. Luke Regional Hospital in Tarnów, Cardiology Department and Cardiology Outpatient Clinic were examined in the period from September to December 2017. The average age was 66.76 ±10.04 years. The analysis assumed the significance level of 0.05.

Results
The average quality of life assessment made by the respondents was 3.52 ±0.86 points, which means that they assessed their quality of life between good and average (neither good nor bad). The higher age of patients lowered the quality of life in each of the functional areas (p ≤ 0.001). Men after myocardial infarction scored higher in terms of overall quality of life and health as well as in psychological and environmental areas, compared to women (p < 0.05). Married patients presented a higher overall quality of life and their own health and in physical, psychological and environmental areas (p < 0.01). A higher level of education was associated with a better quality of life and health as well as quality in all areas of functioning (p < 0.05). Professionally active people had a higher quality of life and health as well as quality of life in each of the areas, compared to retired people or pensioners (p < 0.001).

Conclusions
Sociodemographic factors such as age, sex, marital status, education and professional status had an impact on the quality of life of patients after myocardial infarction.