'HjertensGlad'.Inequality in Cardiac Rehabilitation Attendance: Peer-mentors as a Feasible Solution

BACKGROUND: Advanced treatment regimens have reduced cardiovascular mortality resulting in an increasingly older myocardial infarction (MI) population in need of cardiac rehabilitation (CR) , the majority (74%) is above 60 years. The positive effect of CR is well established; CR reduces cardiovascular mortality, lowers hospital admissions, and improves quality of life among patients with ischemic heart disease. These positive effects of CR has also been established among older patients. The inherent problem lies in the low attendance rate, often below 50%. Several studies, including studies from Denmark, have shown that low participation in CR is most prevalent among older, vulnerable female patients. The notion vulnerable covers patients with low socioeconomic position (SEP), patients with non-western background and patients living alone, as these groups have particularly low CR attendance. Effective interventions aiming at increasing CR attendance among these low attending groups are thus warranted and the current study will seek to address this.

AIM: To test feasibility and acceptability of methods used in a peer-mentor intervention among older female and vulnerable post MI patients.

DESIGN AND METHODS: The study is designed as a one arm feasibility study. Patients (n=20) are recruited by a dedicated research nurse before discharge from the cardiology department at Nordsjællands Hospital. Data is collected at three timepoints, baseline, 12 weeks and 24 weeks. The patients (mentees) are matched with peer-mentors. Peer-mentoring (i.e. mentoring by a person with a similar life situation or health problem as one self) is a low-cost intervention that holds the potential to improve CR attendance and improve physical and psychological outcomes among older patients. Peer-mentors are role models who can guide and support patients overcoming barriers of CR attendance. Peer-mentoring is unexplored in a CR setting among older, female and vulnerable MI patients; establishing the novelty of the current study.