General health improves with home-based cardiac rehabilitation program

Objectives: To determine whether continuing cardiac rehabilitation programs at home has positive effects on psychological and general health of the participants' in comparison with the control group. Method: This randomized controlled trial was conducted in Tabriz Shahid Madani rehabilitation center, Tabriz, Iran between February 2009 and January 2010. Eighty patients referred to the rehabilitation center were randomly divided into case and control groups. Both groups received routine cardiac rehabilitation program in the rehabilitation center. In addition, the case group received education and practical training in various rehabilitation measures along with home visits of a community health nurse in follow-up period. General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-28) was used to assess psychological and general health between the 2 groups at baseline and on follow-up period. Collected data from the GHQ-28 were analyzed using Minitab software and repeated measurement analysis model. Results: In this study, 75% (n=60) of participants were male and 25% (n=20) were female with an age range of 57.41 +/- 1.01 years (mean+/-SE). The results showed statistical significant difference in general health (p=0.000) between the 2 groups and in different measurements (p=0.000). Conclusion: Home-based cardiac rehabilitation has a positive effect on patients' general health, thus referring patients who suffer from heart diseases is recommended.