The Impact of Education on Patients Eligible for Cardiac Rehabilitation and Factors Contributing to Declining Participation in Turkish Society: Are Patients Aware of Cardiac Rehabilitation?

Objective: Despite their effectiveness, cardiac rehabilitation (CR) programs have low participation and adherence rates. CR participation and adherence are directly related to the social, economic, cultural, and geographical characteristics of the society. Therefore, our study aimed to investigate the reasons behind low participation in CR within Turkish society, as well as the barriers that restrict participation despite educational efforts. Method: The research was conducted with participants who were over 18 years of age, had any history of heart disease, and had been hospitalized in the last year. The patients' medical history, chronic diseases, demographics, habits, employment and income status, educational status, and approaches to CR were surveyed. Additionally, patients who still did not consider participating in CR after receiving information were asked about the reasons for their decisions. Results: Although 95.6% of patients were eligible for CR, 91.9% of them were previously unaware of this treatment option. After being informed, 29.4% of patients agreed to participate in CR. The most common reasons for not participating after receiving information were as follows: three days a week is too much (21.9%); this place is far away, but if it were closer, I would come (18.1%); I can't come on weekdays (15.6%); and I would come if someone brought me (14.4%). Conclusion: We observed that the participation rate in CR increased from 0% to 29.4% after receiving information. Furthermore, it was determined that the CR schedule and transportation were significant factors influencing participation.