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A Novel Digital Platform for a Monitored Home-based Cardiac Rehabilitation Program
Published on: April 19, 2019
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Dropout during a 12-week transitional exercise-based cardiac rehabilitation programme: a mixed-methods prospective
Charlotte Greve Sommer1, Lars Bo Jørgensen1,2,3, Birgitte Blume1
1Department of Occupational Therapy and Physiotherapy, Zealand University Hospital, Sygehusvej 10, 4000 Roskilde, Denmark.
European Journal of Cardiovascular Nursing
|January 19, 2022
Summary
The transition phase of exercise-based cardiac rehabilitation (exCR) sees a high dropout rate. Patients employed and those attending fewer sessions were more likely to drop out during this critical period.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Rehabilitation Medicine
- Public Health
Background:
- Cardiac rehabilitation programs are crucial for patients with cardiovascular diseases.
- Transitional phases between hospital-based and community-based care present unique challenges.
- Patient adherence and retention are key factors in the success of long-term rehabilitation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the dropout rate during a 12-week transitional exercise-based cardiac rehabilitation (exCR) program.
- To identify patient characteristics associated with dropout specifically during the transition phase.
- To inform strategies for improving patient retention in exCR.
Main Methods:
- Prospective cohort study of 279 patients undergoing exCR from March 2018 to February 2019.
- Dropout identification via bi-weekly telephone interviews.
- Kaplan-Meier analysis for time-to-dropout and logistic regression for associated factors.
Main Results:
- A 39% overall dropout rate was observed, with 70% of dropouts occurring during the transition phase.
- Patients employed were significantly more likely to drop out at transition (OR = 6.31).
- Each additional exercise session attended reduced the odds of dropout at transition (OR = 0.79).
Conclusions:
- The transition from hospital to community-based exCR is a critical period for patient dropout.
- Targeted interventions focusing on employed patients and encouraging session attendance are needed.
- Improved communication and retention strategies across different care settings are essential for successful exCR.
