Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death and disability among women. Despite this, scant research exists about the recovery and quality of life of women with this disease. Preliminary research has shown that the employment status of a woman is a significant predictor of her quality of life post-MI. Traditional definitions of employment may not be helpful in this population, however, and other measures may be more meaningful in terms of return to prior status. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to qualitatively describe the effect of cardiac disease on women's vocational status. Approximately 20 subjects will participate in a guided, audiotaped interview about the effects of the diagnosis of cardiac disease on their vocational status and functional capacity. Sixteen interviews have been completed and data analysis is pending. Interview transcriptions will be analyzed via computer analysis using the constant comparative technique to generate common themes. It is expected that these qualitative, descriptive findings will generate questions and hypotheses for future quantitative research.
