Behavioral Medicine-Oriented Rehabilitation in a Cardiac Rehabilitation Setting - A Qualitative Study of Patient Experiences

Abstract

Objective The study aims to investigate patients' experiences with a newly established cognitive-behavioral rehabilitation concept for patients with cardiovascular diseases (treatment group). We compared these experiences with the reports of patients attending a common cardiac rehabilitation program (control group). The psychological group treatment is described and the two treatment formats are compared in terms of the doses of provided treatment. Material and Methods We conducted guideline-based interviews with twenty focus groups in both the treatment and in the control group (10 interviews in each treatment condition). Interviews were audio-taped and transcribed. The analysis was based on the qualitative content analysis by Kuckartz. Doses of provided treatments are described using the coding system in medical rehabilitation. Results As per concept we found differences between the two rehabilitation programs mainly in the number and length of psychological treatments. Patients' experiences with the newly established rehabilitation concept were mainly positive. Relevant parts of the concept, like Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) were considered attractive. Conclusions The newly established cognitive-behavioral cardiac rehabilitation was generally perceived positive by patients. Organizational conditions should be adjusted to insure constancy of physicians. The manualized psychological group therapy should be extended by more explicitly addressing heart anxiety.