Should we enhance patient participation in cardiac rehabilitation? An analysis of the perspective of health professionals on setting rehabilitation goals

Although setting rehabilitation goals is considered as a core part of the rehabilitation process, usual care of rehabilitation practice still shows considerable room for improvement with respect to involving patients. Our analysis explores behavioural components and attitudes to enhance patient participation in cardiac rehabilitation and investigates different groups of health professionals according to their behaviour and attitude style. In this exploratory study, we surveyed a total of 82 health professionals at six rehabilitation centres in Austria using a questionnaire, which contained predominantly closed items concerning the usual practice of setting rehabilitation goals. The number of variables was reduced by means of principal component analysis. Using cluster analysis, we characterised different groups of health professionals by the components identified. Our results show that the interrelated behaviour and attitudes are summarised in the following latent constructs: importance placed upon patient participation, appraisal of rehabilitation team communication, and patient involvement in goal setting. The distribution of these groups of behaviours resulted in five clusters of people. The fifth cluster, which is defined by process- and patient-centredness, contained the main part of the valid sample. Current practice with regard to goal setting in cardiac rehabilitation is altogether on a relatively good level in the rehabilitation centres taking part in the study. The communication style in the form of specific behaviour components of health professionals has important implications for patient participation within goal setting in cardiac rehabilitation.