title: Non-attendance and drop-out in cardiac rehabilitation among patients with ischaemic heart disease.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Previous studies have shown drop-out from cardiac rehabilitation (CR) to have prognostic influence on morbidity and mortality among patients with ischaemic heart disease (IHD). We aimed to identify and clarify patients' reasons for non-attendance and drop-out from CR.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 872 consecutive patients with acute myocardial infarction and/or after percutaneous coronary intervention or coronary artery bypass surgery were asked by conventional mail to fill in a self-completion questionnaire on their choice of post-hospital CR and their reasons for drop-out or for non-attendance.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Age, employment and marital status had a statistically significant influence on the overall course of CR. Younger age, affiliation with the labour market and living alone were related to a higher drop-out from CR in univariate analysis. We found no evidence of a gender difference among the patients who withdrew. Lack of time was stated as the prevailing reason for non-attendance and withdrawal from CR programmes among employed patients and in people aged 65 years or younger. Patients above 75 years of age asked for additional differentiation of exercise levels; currently two levels are offered. Or they found CR meaningless given their physical condition or their overall life situation.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In patients with IHD, age, marital status and employment status play a role in the patient's attendance or drop out from CR. Different physical conditions, lack of time, too great a distance from residence to hospital, transport problems and lack of understanding of the benefits of CR explain why patients refuse to participate in or drop-out from CR.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  supported by grant from The Danish Ministry of Health.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  not relevant.
authors.affiliation: Stensballe Atrandvej 86 D, 8700 Horsens, Denmark. tanja.mikkelsen@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Tatsiana
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Mikkelsen
authors.forename: Kristian
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Korsgaard Thomsen
authors.forename: Olga
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Tchijevitch
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D003718:Denmark; D005081:Exercise Therapy / Q000379:methods / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017202:Myocardial Ischemia / Q000523:psychology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D010349:Patient Compliance / Q000523:psychology*; D010352:Patient Dropouts / Q000523:psychology*; D010353:Patient Education as Topic; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires