Religious and Spiritual Beliefs and Practices in Older Survivors of a Heart Attack and Quality of Life

TL;DR

This study explores how older heart attack survivors use religious and spiritual practices and how these relate to their physical health and quality of life.

Contribution

The study is one of the first to examine the role of religious and spiritual practices in older heart attack survivors and their impact on quality of life.

Findings

88% of older heart attack survivors found strength and comfort from religion.

Greater engagement in religious and spiritual practices was associated with poorer physical health-related quality of life during hospitalization.

Integrating religious and spiritual support into patient care may improve recovery and quality of life after a heart attack.

Abstract

Religious and spiritual beliefs and practices (R/S) are often used by patients to cope with life-threatening events. However, the role of R/S remains understudied among older adults who survive a heart attack. The study objective was to examine the extent of engagement in R/S among older adults hospitalized for acute coronary syndrome (ACS) and their association with physical health related quality of life (HRQoL). Data was obtained from the multi-center prospective TRACE-CORE study (2011-2013). Patients aged ≥65 years hospitalized with ACS at six medical centers in Massachusetts and Georgia were included in the present study. Participants self-reported their extent of engagement in three items assessing R/S – deriving strength and comfort from religion, making petition prayers for their health, and receiving intercessory prayers. Physical HRQoL was measured with the SF-36®v2 physical component score. Linear regression models were used to examine the relationship between each R/S measure and physical HRQOL during hospitalization. Among 804 older adults hospitalized with ACS (mean age 73 years; 39% women; 87% non-Hispanic White), 88% found strength and comfort from religion, 67% prayed for their health, and 88% received intercessory prayers. The average physical HRQoL score was 40.2. After adjusting for potential confounders, greater engagement in R/S was associated with poorer physical HRQoL during hospitalization. A majority of older survivors of ACS utilize their R/S beliefs as coping mechanisms and their relationship to physical HRQoL is complex. Integrating R/S support into patient-centered care may support recovery and QoL after a heart attack.