Cardiac Rehabilitation Using the Family-Centered Empowerment Model is Effective in Improving Long-term Mortality in...

Area of Science:

• Cardiology
• Public Health
• Health Psychology

Background:

• Cardiac rehabilitation (CR) is vital for reducing cardiovascular event risk and improving quality of life in heart attack survivors.
• Family-centered approaches can enhance patient outcomes in chronic disease management.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the long-term impact of a Family-Centered Empowerment Model (FCEM)-focused hybrid CR program on mortality rates and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in myocardial infarction (MI) survivors.

Main Methods:

• A 10-year, double-blind randomized controlled trial involving 70 MI patients and their families.
• Participants were assigned to either an FCEM intervention group or a standard CR control group.
• Data collected via questionnaires assessed mortality and HRQoL outcomes.

Main Results:

• The FCEM group exhibited significantly lower 10-year mortality rates (17.1%) compared to the control group (48.9%).
• The FCEM intervention group had a four times lower mortality risk (HR: 4.346, P=0.003) after adjusting for covariates.
• Sustained improvements in HRQoL were observed in the FCEM group for up to 48 months.

Conclusions:

• FCEM-based hybrid CR programs are effective in improving long-term outcomes and reducing mortality in MI survivors.
• The findings support the integration of family-centered empowerment strategies into cardiac rehabilitation protocols.
• Further research with larger, diverse populations is warranted to confirm these benefits.