Disease-related knowledge in cardiac rehabilitation enrollees: Correlates and changes

• Participants starting CR have quite high knowledge regarding their disease.
• However, this knowledge decays at CR exit.
• Higher knowledge at CR initiation was related to greater educational attainment.
• It was also related to being married, English proficiency, and referral due to PCI.
• Great knowledge at CR exit was related to better diet and greater exercise.

ObjectivesTo describe (1) patients’ disease-related knowledge at cardiac rehabilitation (CR) entry; (2) correlates of this knowledge; (3) whether CR completion is related to knowledge; and (4) behavioral correlates of knowledge.MethodsFor this prospective, observational study, a convenience sample of new CR patients was approached at 3 programs to complete a survey. It consisted of sociodemographic items, heart-health behavior surveys, and the CADE-Q. Patients were provided a similar survey 6 months later.Results214 patients completed the CADE-Q at both points, with scores demonstrating “acceptable” to “good” knowledge. Higher knowledge at CR entry was significantly associated with greater education, being married, greater English-language proficiency, and history of percutaneous coronary intervention (p ≤ 0.05). The 118 (55.1%) patients that completed CR demonstrated significantly higher knowledge than non-enrollees at post-test (p ≤ 0.05). There was a significant positive association between knowledge and physical activity (p ≤ 0.01) and nutrition (p ≤ 0.05) at post-test, but no association with smoking or medication adherence.ConclusionsCR adherence ensures patients sustain knowledge needed to optimize their disease management, and perhaps ultimately their health outcomes.Practice implicationsCR completion should be promoted so patients remain educated about their disease management, and the health behaviors observed will be practiced in a greater proportion of patients.