Correlates of Exercise Self-Efficacy in a Randomized Trial of Mind-Body Exercise in Patients with Chronic Heart Failure

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Correlates of Exercise Self-Efficacy in a Randomized Trial of Mind-Body Exercise in Patients with Chronic Heart Failure
Increased physical activities have been documented as advantageous and as a healthy among the patients with chronic diseases. One way these improvements occur is by increasing self-efficacy due to the physical activities involving mind-body exercises. However, some of the factors behind the changes are not well known. The article
The purpose
The purpose of the study was to investigate the factors that are associated with the development of self-efficacy among the patients struggling with heart failure. The study was based on the understanding that self-efficacy, which is maximum achieved through physical activities, can be a strong predictor of physical activity since the level of self-efficacy can describe the interaction between personal, environmental and behavioral factors of most diseases (Yeh et al. 187). The researcher in the study expected that since self-efficacy is dependent on physical activities, then inducing certain patients’ confidence in performing physical behaviors is bound to improve health outcomes.
Method
In unfulfilling its purpose, this study focused on Tai Chi practices by two groups and various testing to identify and measure the changes. The sample population comprised of 100 patients with the systolic heart failure from Heart Failure clinics and primary cares in Boston (Yeh et al. 188). These patients participated in a 12-week Tai Chi group, one-hour long sessions, and twice a week while they were still undergoing medication.

They were also expected to practice on their own three times per week. The education control group met twice a week and later lost the follow-up.
The testing on the group was on the biomarkers, exercise capacity or active status, and psychosocial changes. The biomarkers testing using a point-of-service meter was done to determine the properties of serum, C-reactive protein, and tumor necrosis factor. The exercise capacity was done using the breath-by-breath respiratory gas analysis, Timed Up and Go functional assessment, and CHAMPS Physical Activity Questionnaire for old patients (Yeh et al. 189). Finally, the test on Exercise self-efficacy test for psychosocial changes was done using various tools including a validated 16-item Cardiac Exercise Self-Efficacy scale and the Minnesota Living with Heart Failure Questionnaire (MLHF) (Yeh et al. 189). Data from these tests was recorded the final analysis using various data software.
Results
The study found that self-efficacy was improved in the Tai Chi group than in the education control group with female older patients demonstrating greater improvement compared than older males. The factors of self-efficacy identified from the study include enactive attainment, psychological signals, social persuasion, and modeling.
Conclusion
The paper concluded that physical activities interventions such as Tai Chi could improve self-efficacy of patients with chronic heart disease. It improves their confidence, moods, and functional status. Such conclusion confirmed the study’s expectations since there were positive changes in physiological function.
As an intervention, the exercise revealed that patients with chronic diseases could improve their health through physical practices. The reason for this is that the Tai chi group demonstrated improvements in their physiological status and these interprets to improvement in health and lifestyle through the achievement of self-efficacy.
I would expect similar improvements in health with the replacement of exercise with the dietary or drugs since there is evidence that physical activity, proper diet or nutrition, and medications are the key factors that improve the experience of chronically ill patients.
Work Cited
Yeh, Gloria Y. Et al. “Correlates of Exercise Self-Efficacy In A Randomized Trial Of Mind-Body Exercise In Patients With Chronic Heart Failure.” Journal of Cardiopulmonary Rehabilitation and Prevention, vol 36, no. 3, 2016, pp. 186-194. Ovid Technologies (Wolters Kluwer Health), doi:10.1097/hcr.0000000000000170. Accessed 24 Mar 2018.