Abstract

Effective Cardiac Rehabilitation (CR) can significantly improve mortality and morbidity rates in relation to cardiovascular disease; however, uptake of traditional community-based long-term is very low. PATHway (Physical Activity Towards Health) will provide individualized rehabilitation programs, through an internet-enabled sensor-based home exercise platform that allows remote participation. The purpose of this study was to assess the level of interest and use of technology by individuals living with CVD in order to inform the design of a technology-enabled CR programme. Method: A technology usage questionnaire based on a previous study investigating the role of technology and mHealth in a CVD population was used (Dale et al., 2014) to ascertain the current level of technology use. All patients attending the Phase Four community cardiac rehabilitation HeartSmart programme (MedEx) were recruited (N=67; 66.2 years, SD= 8.55, Males =76.1%, Females=20.9%). Results: Technology usage was high with 60% of participants owning a smartphone and 85% accessing the internet (54% of whom access it everyday). Participants endorsed the idea of technology enabled cardiac rehabilitation, indicating that they found the idea ‘ appealing’. 79% were interested in receiving ongoing CR support via their smartphones, 79% were interested in receiving CR via the internet. It was found that 52% of patients found the idea of a virtual rehabilitation class appealing. Conclusion: This study provides support for the patient need for a technology enabled behavioural change intervention, specifically through the provision of an internet-enabled sensor-based home exercise platform that allows remote participation in CR exercise programs.