Peer-Mentor Support for Older, Vulnerable Patients With Ischemic Heart Disease: A Mixed Methods Process-Outcome...

To achieve a deeper understanding of the results of a primary randomised controlled trial to clarify the potential effective mechanisms and barriers of a peer-mentor intervention.

Mixed methods process-outcome evaluation of the intervention.

Qualitative and quantitative data were collected during the intervention in a during-trial set-up, that is, a convergent design.

The qualitative and quantitative findings mostly confirmed and expanded each other, identifying several mechanisms that facilitate the effectiveness of peer-mentor support during cardiac rehabilitation, such as mentors' experience-based knowledge and motivation. However, barriers related to lifestyle changes among older, vulnerable patients (e.g., mentee concerns about heart-healthy diets) and psychological outcomes (e.g., mentees' resilience) may minimise the effectiveness.

Peer-mentoring holds potential for supporting older, vulnerable patients during cardiac rehabilitation. However, ensuring that peer-mentors are well-suited for their role and capable of providing motivational, experience-based support is crucial, as is the need for tailored mentorship and consideration of specific patient populations needing mentor-supported cardiac rehabilitation.

Cardiac rehabilitation faces challenges due to high drop-out rates, particularly among older individuals, females, and vulnerable patients. Peer mentoring, a low-cost intervention, holds promise for supporting these groups in cardiac rehabilitation programmes.

The study adheres to the 'Systematic Development of Standards for Mixed Methods Reporting in Rehabilitation Health Sciences Research', 'Good Reporting of A Mixed Methods Study' and 'Template for Intervention Description and Replication'.

A group of patients with cardiovascular disease actively contributed to developing and implementing the intervention.

ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT04945486-prospectively registered before the first participant was recruited.