The added value of remote technology and the background factors explaining the changes in biopsychosocial functioning in cardiac rehabilitation: cluster randomised controlled trial

Abstract

Purpose This study aimed to explore added value of mcoach app and activity bracelet in 12-month cardiac rehabilitation on changes in rehabilitee’s biopsychosocial functioning: cardiorespiratory fitness, depressive symptoms and social quality of life compared to similar rehabilitation without remote technology. Additionally, the study explored the factors explaining changes of biopsychosocial functioning. Materials and methods Six groups of coronary rehabilitees were cluster-randomised to experimental (n = 30) or control group (n = 29). Parametric and nonparametric statistical analyses and linear regression analyses were used. Results No differences between the groups regarding changes in VO₂max (p = 0.474), DEPS (p = 0.315) or social quality of life (p = 0.592) were observed. Positive changes in the whole study population in VO₂max were explained with shorter time from last cardiac operation and higher light activity at the baseline (R² = 0.309). Smaller increase in DEPS was explained with positive changes in different aspects of social quality of life (R² = 0.562). Conclusions Remote technology had no added value for rehabilitation, but the results confirmed the importance of early rehabilitation, maintenance of socially meaningful life and the use of biopsychosocial and multidisciplinary approaches. Research defining the needs and types of technology, their timing, to whom and to what extent the remote technology would be most beneficial, is still needed.

Keywords:

• Remote technology
• cardiac rehabilitation
• biopsychosocial
• depression
• cardiorespiratory fitness
• quality of life

Acknowledgments

The study ‘The Effectiveness and Feasibility of Ordinary and Technology-Based Distance Rehabilitation of Finnish Social Insurance Institution’ has been funded by The Finnish Social Insurance Institution. Thanks to the rehabilitees without whom this study would have not been able to carry out and to Spa Hotel Peurunka where the centre-based rehabilitation periods were executed. Thanks also to Heikki Kivistö who was responsible for the data collection, to Marjo-Riitta Anttila from the expertise concerning the biopsychosocial approach, to chief rehabilitation officer Mika Pekkonen from his participation in the research plan, to statisticians from the University of Jyväskylä for their consultation regarding the statistical analyses and to Teemu Paajanen for his help on reporting the statistical analyses.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

The author(s) reported there is no funding associated with the work featured in this article.