Exploring patients decision to participate in cardiac rehabilitation
Research type
Research Study
Full title
What influences myocardial infarction patients’ decision to participate in phase III cardiac rehabilitation and what possible interventions may increase their engagement with the service? A descriptive qualitative study
IRAS ID
186515
Contact name
Nicola Manning
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
North Bristol NHS Trust
Duration of Study in the UK
0 years, 4 months, 2 days
Research summary
Following a heart attack, patients should be offered a place on a cardiac rehabilitation course. This is a weekly class run by specialist nurses which includes exercise and education aimed at helping patients change their lifestyle to reduce the risk of them having another heart attack. Patients who attend cardiac rehabilitation are less likely to need re-admission to hospital and extra tests or procedures.
The British Heart Foundation identified only 41% of patients accepted their place on a cardiac rehabilitation programme during 2012-13 meaning that many patients remain at risk of complications, readmissions and death. A target of 65% cardiac rehabilitation uptake has now been set in England.
The aim of this study is to explore the reasons why patients do not attend cardiac rehabilitation classes after having a heart attack. We are interested to find out how patients were offered a place on a cardiac rehabilitation programme. We want to ask why they chose not to accept their place and if there is anything that could have been done to change this decision. We also want to talk to patients who did attend cardiac rehabilitation to find out what motivated them to come to the programme.
Two groups of patients will be invited to take part. Firstly patients who have had a heart attack and turned down a place on a cardiac rehabilitation course will be invited to take part in a one-to-one interview in their own home. Secondly, patients who have had a heart attack and accepted a place on a cardiac rehabilitation course will be invited to take part in a focus group.
The results from this research will be used to design a larger study aimed at increasing cardiac rehabilitation participation on a bigger group of patients admitted to different hospitals.
REC name
South Central - Berkshire Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
15/SC/0577
Date of REC Opinion
18 Sep 2015
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion