• Kim A Robertson, Katia Kayhko, and Pertti Kekki.
• Can J Cardiovasc Nurs. 2003 Jan 1; 13 (1): 16-20.

AbstractIn the province of Prince Edward Island (PEI), which has a small homogeneous population of approximately 140,000 people, cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death accounting for 37% of the total deaths. Next to Newfoundland, this province ranks second highest in Canada for its incidence of cardiovascular disease. This high incidence of cardiovascular disease in this population has been attributed to smoking, physical inactivity, hypertension and obesity. In examining provincial comparisons across Canada, PEI has the highest proportion of physically inactive adults at 68%. PEI has the second highest proportion of adults, 15 years and older, who are daily or occasional smokers at 65% and who have high blood pressure at 12%. PEI has the third highest proportion of adults who are overweight. At the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Charlottetown, PEI, where the researcher has conducted her study, during the period of January 1997 and December 1997, 192 patients were admitted with the diagnosis of acute myocardial infarction (AMI). The average length of stay in hospital for these patients was 10.3 days. This is high compared to the national average of 6.6 days in hospital. During a one year period, 111 of these 192 patients were re-admitted to hospital with a related cardiovascular diagnosis. This equates to a 57.8% readmission rate for post MI patients. These re-hospitalizations are both costly to health care and disruptive to the quality of life of the individual and his or her family. There is evidence that a portion, approximately 50% of these re-hospitalizations, are due mainly to psychosocial factors and not to unavoidable clinical reasons. A cross-sectional design representing this one year period was used in a chart audit with an analysis done to determine factors associated with re-hospitalization of post MI patients. This article will offer insight regarding the results of this analysis as well as future recommendations for patients being discharged home follow an AMI. The significance of the research lies in its collection of data focusing on behaviors and attitudes around cardiovascular risk factor modification which will enable effective planning and evaluation of health promotion programs, policies, and legislation.

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