Positive psychological profiles based on perceived health clustering in patients with cardiovascular disease: a longitudinal study.

Abstract

Psychological well-being and sociodemographic factors have been associated with cardiovascular health. Positive psychological well-being research is limited in the literature; as such, this study aimed to investigate how patients with cardiovascular disease could be classified according to their perceived mental and physical health, and to identify positive psychological profiles based on this classification and test their stability over time. Longitudinal study with patients from a public hospital located in Córdoba (Spain). This study comprised 379 cardiovascular patients (87.3% men) tested at three measurement points. Participants reported their sociodemographic variables (age, sex, educational level, employment and socioeconomic status) at phase 1, while their perceived health and variables relating to positive psychological well-being were tested at this and two subsequent time points (average interval time: 9 months). The two-step cluster analysis classified participants into three groups according to their mental and physical health levels, p Cardiovascular patients may differ in terms of their perceived health and, accordingly, in terms of other relevant variables. Perceived health clusters generated varying and generally stable psychological profiles based on positive psychological well-being variables. Psychological interventions should be adapted to patients' requirements.