Patient preferences for cardiac rehabilitation and desired program elements.

Area of Science:

• Cardiology
• Rehabilitation Medicine
• Patient-Centered Care

Background:

• Limited data exist on the efficacy of traditional cardiac rehabilitation (CR) programs in meeting diverse patient needs.
• Patient-perceived preferences and desired program elements in CR require further investigation.
• Understanding these preferences is crucial for improving CR program design and patient engagement.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate patient-perceived preferences for cardiac rehabilitation programs.
• To identify desired program elements within CR.
• To analyze differences in preferences based on patient gender and age.

Main Methods:

• A survey was administered to 199 patients (136 men, 63 women) post-myocardial infarction discharge from a tertiary referral hospital.
• Participants completed a standardized questionnaire assessing enrollment in CR and preferences for six program types on a 10-point scale.
• Data were analyzed to identify differences in enrollment and preferences by gender and age.

Main Results:

• 54.3% of patients enrolled in CR programs.
• Older patients (≥65 years) were more likely to enroll in home-based CR compared to younger patients (11.8% vs. 1.4%, P=0.02).
• Younger patients showed higher preference ratings for short-term facilities, local health clubs, long-term programs, comprehensive programs, stress management, vocational counseling, and smoking cessation compared to older patients.

Conclusions:

• Patient preferences for CR programs significantly differ by age, but not by gender.
• Older patients favored home-based CR, whereas younger patients preferred clinic-based programs with specific elements like stress management and smoking cessation.
• Future strategies to enhance CR participation should integrate patient age and individual preferences for program types and components.