Effects of rumination and post-traumatic growth on health behavior among older patients with coronary heart disease.

The study aimed to investigate the effects of rumination and post-traumatic growth (PTG) on health behavior among older patients with coronary heart disease (CHD). The Event-Related Rumination Inventory, Post-traumatic Growth Inventory, and Cardiac Health Behavior Scale were used to assess 429 older adult patients with CHD. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, t-tests, one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA), hierarchical multiple regression analysis, and structural equation modeling (SEM). Results revealed that both intrusive and deliberate rumination were significantly associated with PTG and health behavior in older patients with CHD (β = - 0.38, - 0.37; β = 0.33, 0.29; p < 0.05). Post-traumatic growth was positively associated with health behavior (β = 0.45, p < 0.05). The results of the structural equation model showed that the models had a good fit and that the relationship between rumination and health behavior was consistent with the results of the regression analysis. Path coefficients of intrusive and deliberate rumination, as well as PTG, on the various dimensions of health behaviors were all significant (p < 0.05). The results of this study provide new ideas for improving the health behaviors of older patients with CHD. It suggests that we can intervene in the cognitive processing of older patients with CHD, using rumination as an entry point, which in turn promotes individual PTG and health behavior change.