THE QUALITY OF LIFE AMONG POST MYOCARDIAL INFARCTION PATIENTS ATTENDING THE OUTPATIENT DEPARTMENT OF SELECTED HOSPITALS AT MEERUT AND DEVELOPMENT OF A SELF-INSTRUCTIONAL MODULE TO IMPROVE THEIR QUALITY OF LIFE

ABSTRACT The heart, as a vital organ, ensures physical and emotional harmony, sustaining life through its functions. However, cardiovascular diseases, especially myocardial infarction, significantly impair quality of life by affecting physical, social, and psychological well-being. With increasing prevalence globally, especially in low and middle-income countries like India, coronary artery disease (CAD) has emerged as a leading cause of mortality. Despite advancements in medical care, survivors face challenges in regaining normalcy. This paper emphasizes the role of nurses in educating patients about lifestyle modifications to improve post-myocardial infarction outcomes and quality of life. Need of the Study: The growth of heart disease is influenced by various interlinked factors, including aging, lifestyle changes, food habits, and socioeconomic determinants such as improved access to healthcare, higher income levels, globalization, and urbanization. These factors collectively increase the incidence of cardiovascular diseases, including myocardial infarction (MI). This study aimed to develop a self-instructional module to improve the quality of life of post-myocardial infarction patients. Method: A quantitative study was conducted using a non-experimental design at selected cardiac hospitals in Meerut. Results: Most participants (62.86%) experienced moderate levels of existing problems, and the majority (77.14%) had a moderate quality of life. A correlation was observed between the existing problems of post-myocardial infarction patients and their quality of life in the domains of pain, role limitations due to emotional problems, and social functioning. There was a significant association between quality of life scores and demographic variables, such as gender and the period since the myocardial infarction, at a 0.05 significance level. Conclusion: A self-instructional module was distributed to improve the quality of life of post- myocardial infarction patients. Keywords: Quality of life, post-myocardial infarction patients, outpatient department, self- instructional module.