Does general health status differ by current physical activity levels in middle-aged females with cardiovascular disease?

Purpose: Few studies have focused on how physical activity levels are related to general health in middle-aged females with cardiovascular disease (CVD). The purpose of this study is to assess whether general health status differs by physical activity levels in women ages 45-64 with CVD. Methods: This cross-sectional analysis used data from the 2017 BRFSS for middle-aged women with a history of CVD in Alabama, Arkansas, Kentucky, and Mississippi. This target population was divided into three subsets related to CVD which included 173 participants with a history of heart attack, 239 participants with a history of heart disease, and 228 participants with a history of stroke. Adjusted analysis was conducted to determine the relationship between general health status and physical activity levels while controlling for multiple variables Results: Across subsets, participants with CVD had a moderate prevalence of good or better general health and a moderate prevalence of physically inactivity. Results of adjusted analysis indicated that general health status may not be related to physical activity levels. However, general health status was found to be related to other health conditions across subsets. Conclusions: Overall, general health status was not found to be significantly related to physical activity levels in general, population-based samples of middle-aged women with CVD. Regardless, practitioners should educate patients on ways to improve general health and on the importance on physical activity when appropriate. On the other hand, general health status was significantly related to the presence of other health conditions.