'I don't know why they don't come': barriers to participation in cardiac rehabilitation.
OBJECTIVE
To describe health professionals' perceptions of Aboriginal people's access to cardiac rehabilitation (CR) services and the role of institutional barriers in implementing the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) guidelines Strengthening Cardiac Rehabilitation and Secondary Prevention for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.


METHODS
Qualitative study.


METHODS
Metropolitan and rural tertiary and community-based public CR services and Aboriginal health services in WA.


METHODS
Thirty-eight health professionals working in the CR setting.


METHODS
Semistructured interviews were undertaken with 28 health professionals at public CR services and 10 health professionals from Aboriginal Medical Services in WA. The participants represented 17 services (10 rural, 7 metropolitan) listed in the WA Directory of CR services.


RESULTS
Emergent themes included (1) a lack of awareness of Aboriginal CR patients' needs; (2) needs related to cultural awareness training for health professionals; and (3) Aboriginal health staff facilitate access for Aboriginal patients.


CONCLUSIONS
Understanding the institutional barriers to Aboriginal participation in CR is necessary to recommend viable solutions. Promoting cultural awareness training, recruiting Aboriginal health workers and monitoring participation rates are important in improving health outcomes.
Centre for Cardiovascular and Chronic Care, Curtin Health Innovation Research Institute, Curtin University and University of Technology Sydney, Level 7, Building 10, 235-253 Jones Street, Ultimo NSW 2007, Australia. m.digiacomo@curtin.edu.au
Michelle L
ML
DiGiacomo
Sandra C
SC
Thompson
Julie S
JS
Smith
Kate P
KP
Taylor
Lynette A
LA
Dimer
Mohammed A
MA
Ali
Marianne M
MM
Wood
Timothy G
TG
Leahy
Patricia M
PM
Davidson
D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D054521:Cultural Competency / Q000193:education; D006293:Health Promotion / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards; D006297:Health Services Accessibility / Q000592:standards*; D006303:Health Services, Indigenous / Q000592:standards*; D054624:Health Status Disparities; D006331:Heart Diseases / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000523:psychology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D006801:Humans; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000523:psychology; D014904:Western Australia