Exploring the effects of an online learning platform in stage III cardiac rehabilitation for individuals with coronary heart disease: Randomized controlled study

The objective of this study is to assess the influence of blended education methodologies, utilizing an online education platform, among stage III cardiac rehabilitation (CR) patients diagnosed with coronary heart disease (CHD). Between June and August 2021, a cohort of 90 patients diagnosed with CHD, previously discharged from a second-class hospital 1 year earlier, were randomly allocated into 2 groups: the experimental and control groups, with each comprising 45 patients. Patients in the control group received out-of-hospital CR education via WeChat, while those in the experimental group received blended CR education utilizing an online education platform. Following a 24-week period, the self-management behavior and negative emotions of both groups were compared before and after the intervention. The final count of patients in the control and experimental groups was 39 and 37, respectively. Post the intervention, in terms of self-management behavior, the control group achieved an average score of 90.69 +/- 7.13, while the experimental group scored 96.11 +/- 5.42 (P < .05). Concerning negative emotions, the anxiety scores for the control and experimental groups were 3.03 +/- 2.63 and 1.86 +/- 1.80, respectively, and the depression scores were 3.00 (3.00) and 2.00 (3.00), respectively (P < .05). The differences in the outcomes mentioned above were statistically significant. The implementation of a blended educational approach utilizing an online platform has resulted in notable improvements in self-management skills and the reduction of negative emotions among patients with CHD. As a result, this educational strategy has demonstrated effectiveness in providing post-discharge CR education for patients with CHD.