A qualitative study of patient's perceptions of two cardiac rehabilitation models

Background: Understanding patients' perceptions about rehabilitation can guide healthcare administrators on modifications of program elements, which can ultimately improve cardiac rehabilitation (CR) use, adherence of heart-health behaviors, and improvements in clinical outcomes. Objective: To examine the perception of patients about their participation in CR. Methods: Qualitative study using semi-structured interviews, performed in a public CR center in Brazil. Twenty-eight patients were interviewed 2-years following participation in two CR models: exercise-based and comprehensive CR. Results: Themes identified included: knowledge acquisition, improvement in functionality, and psychosocial well-being. It appeared that the perceived benefits of CR participation were overall positive and similar between the two models; however, those in the comprehensive CR identified additional subthemes: self-care need and knowledge transfer. Conclusions: This study suggested that patients from two different CR models perceived in the long term that the CR participation positively impacted their disease-related knowledge, promoted functional gains, and improved psychosocial well-being. Structured educational inter-ventions seemed to be associated with improved participants' perception about CR, which could contribute to long-term maintenance of heart-health behavior and better outcomes. (c) 2021 Associacao Brasileira de Pesquisa e P acute accent os-Graduacao em Fisioterapia. Published by Elsevier Espana, S.L.U. All rights reserved.