title: [Links between perceptions of cardiovascular disease and participation in cardiac rehabilitation programs: an exploratory study].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Cardiac rehabilitation programs (CRP) entail beneficial changes for the majority of participants with heart problems. However, only 21% to 41% of those patients participate in such programs.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The goal of this study was to identify modifable and non-modifiable cardiovascular risk factors, as well as perceptions of illness that affect the participation of patients with cardiovascular problems in CRPs.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty individuals with a cardiovascular disease participated in this exploratory, quantitative study.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The results suggest that the level of education as well as increases in the level of HDL cholesterol (high-density lipoprotein) and of anxiety predict the participation in CRPs. However, the perception of illness was not associated with participation in CRPs.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The implications of these results are discussed.
authors.affiliation: Univesité de Moncton Nouveau Bruswick. sarah.pakzad@umoncton.ca
authors.forename: Sarah
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Pakzad
authors.affiliation: Univesité de Moncton Nouveau Bruswick.
authors.forename: Yannick
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Charette
authors.affiliation: Univesité de Moncton Nouveau Bruswick.
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Bourque
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001294:Attitude to Health; D002170:Canada; D000072038:Cardiac Rehabilitation; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010349:Patient Compliance / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*