Rationale:

Adherence with medical therapy has been shown to be a concern with patients. Although the effectiveness of CR is well-documented, less than one-third of eligible patients currently take advantage of CR services (AACVPR, 1999). Although there is information available regarding adherence-enhancing strategies while in CR (Oldridge & Jones, 1983), little information is available about which psychosocial variables or combination of variables influence participation. The purpose of this study is to identify psychosocial variables that may predict participation in CR.

Methods:

Two hundred sixty patients from a mid-western, medium sized hospital that were diverse in age, cardiac diagnosis, and gender participated in this research. The sample included 75 women and 185 men who had registered for CR orientation before release from the hospital. Of these 260 patients, 130 (50%) participated in CR. One hundred patients and 85 primary support persons completed the ENRICHD Social Support Inventory (ESSI) and the McMaster Family Assessment Device (FAD). Additionally, the 100 patients completed the BDI and SF-36.

Results:

Fifty-seven patients entered CR within two months of hospitalization and 43 did not. Seventy five percent were married and 25% were living alone. No statistically significant differences between those who attended and those who did not attend CR were found. Additionally, mean scores for both groups suggest that social support and family functioning were normal for patients and their significant others. Patients in both groups denied depression and scored in the average range on physical and mental composites of the SF-36.

Conclusion:

Social support, family functioning, depression and quality of life did not predict participation in CR in this sample. Perhaps researchers should search for other variables that may help in predicting participation in CR.