Keywords

cardiac rehabilitation, quality of life, rural health system, SF-36

 

Authors

  1. Aude, Tracey BSN, RN
  2. Hill, Pamela D. PhD, RN, CBE, FAAN
  3. Anderson, Mary Ann PhD, RN

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to explore the effectiveness of a cardiac rehabilitation program (phase II) in improving participants' quality of life (QOL). Existing data collected previously by a not-for-profit rural community hospital using the SF-36 tool were analyzed. The secondary data consisted of precardiac and postcardiac rehabilitation SF-36 scores for 121 phase II participants. All the 8 subscale post scores of the SF-36 were higher when compared to the prerehabilitation scores. In this noncontrolled trial, results suggest that participation in rural cardiac rehabilitation programs may improve patients' perceptions of QOL and health.