Gender Differences in Adherence to Nonpharmacologic Recommendations after Heart Transplant: A Secondary Analysis from the International BRIGHT Study.

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to describe and compare gender differences in adherence and nonadherence to nonpharmacologic recommendations after heart transplant (HTx) globally; in Europe, North America, South America and Australia. METHODS: This a sub-analysis of self-reported data of 1397 adult HTx recipients from the 36- HTx-center, 11-country, 4-continent, cross- sectional BRIGHT study (ClinicalTrials. gov ID: NCT01608477). The analysis included descriptive statistics. Two-sample t-tests were used to compare the mean gender differences in health behaviors post-HTx, such as sun protection, diet keeping, physical activity, and appointment keeping; and chi-square tests were used to evaluate the relationship between female and male adherence and nonadherence to alcohol use and to smoking. RESULTS: Females were more adherent to sun protection in Australia (p=0.03), and in the total of all continents, compared to males (p=0.00). Females were more adherent to 30-minute moderate physical activity 5 days-a-week, in each continent, and in the total of all continents (p-values=0.00, 0.02, 0.04, 0.03, and 0.00 respectively). Complying with 20-minutes of vigorous physical activity 3 days-a-week, females were more adherent in every continent, except for Australia, and in the total of all continents (p-values=0.00, 0.00, 0.00, and 0.00 respectively). Finally, females were more adherent than males in abstaining from smoking in Europe, and in the total of all continents (p=0.01, 009 respectively). CONCLUSION: The findings support the hypothesis that females are, in general, more adherent than males to post-HTx recommendations. This study bridges a gap in the literature, by providing evidence about female and male health behaviors after HTx. This gender-specific information should be used in designing behavioral health gender-specific interventions to improve adherence in transplantation.

Jaar van publicatie:2020

Toegankelijkheid:Closed