Physical Activity
Quality of life is affected by an individual's ability to participate in physical activities. Physical functioning was the one thing that set the teens in this study apart from their peers. It is logical to suppose their quality of life would be affected, although this was not measured in this study. In a study of adult patients with congenital heart disease, found that the adults adapted by avoiding physical activities that made their symptoms increase and therefore did not feel that their quality of life was affected. In a study of how self-reported exercise capacity in adults and adolescents with congenital heart disease related to their actual exercise capacity, found that the two groups were poor reporters of their exercise capacity. They claimed that one should “Never trust a patient pretending a good exercise capacity” The knowledge deficit regarding their congenital heart disease diagnosis and sequelae may lead to parental overprotectiveness and over- or underexertion on the part of the teens and adults, which in turn can lead to false reporting. Failing to understand how teens communicate about issues such as physical activity and perhaps more importantly the background surrounding their involvement or lack thereof in these activities may have a detrimental effect on their overall health and quality of life.