title: Barriers to education in cardiac rehabilitation within an Iranian society: a qualitative descriptive study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Cardiac rehabilitation programmes that include patient education aim to maximise physical, psychological and social functioning, and enable people with acute coronary syndrome to lead fulfilling and productive lives. Despite strong evidence for the benefits of patient education, various barriers exist that need to be addressed to ensure the effective delivery of care. This study explores patients/family members and health professionals' perceptions and experiences of the barriers to cardiac rehabilitation education in an Iranian context.
  
  
  METHODS
  A thematic analysis of in-depth interviews was undertaken using a constant comparative approach. Participants (10 health professionals, 15 patients/family members) were recruited from educational-medical centers and hospitals in Iran. Credibility and trustworthiness were grounded on four aspects: factual value, applicability, consistency and neutrality.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Five major barriers to cardiac rehabilitation were identified relating to human resources, service provision, available educational services, unfavourable attitudes and collaboration gaps. Two main challenges exist to the provision of effective patient education; inadequate human resources in the hospital wards, specifically in terms of trained health care professionals and service users specific health related views and behaviours.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Barriers to comprehensive patient education and cardiac rehabilitation in Iran must be addressed and urgent consideration should be given to the introduction and evaluation of education programmes to prepare health/support system professionals as well as service users, and cardiac rehabilitation services that employ a collaborative and individualised approach. This in turn may reduce the burden of CVD and improve the overall health and quality of life for people in Isfahan Iran.
authors.affiliation: Nursing and Midwifery Care Research Center, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran.
authors.forename: Mousa
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Alavi
authors.forename: Alireza
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Irajpour
authors.forename: Tracey
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Giles
authors.forename: Katayoun
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Rabiei
authors.forename: Nizal
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Sarrafzadegan
mesh_terms: D003299:Cooperative Behavior; D006297:Health Services Accessibility; D006331:Heart Diseases / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D006801:Humans; D007492:Iran; D010353:Patient Education as Topic / Q000379:methods*; D010379:Peer Group; D010561:Personnel Staffing and Scheduling