title: Community-Based Cardiac Rehabilitation Maintenance Programs: Use and Effects.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Cardiac rehabilitation (CR) graduates are encouraged to attend maintenance programs to promote long-term physical activity and preserve gains in function. This study describes the characteristics, attendance and physical function of community-based maintenance CR participants, compared to primary prevention participants.
  
  
  METHODS
  In this cross-sectional study, participants from two programs in New Zealand completed an interview, anthropometry, functional assessments (walking tests, chair stand test, handgrip strength), a 12-month physical activity recall, and a cardiopulmonary exercise test (subsample only). Attendance was ascertained from club records.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Participants (n=101, 55.4% Secondary Prevention) attended 37.4±27.9% of sessions annually. Participants were predominately New Zealand-European (93.5%), retired (80.2%), married (68.3%) elderly individuals, with musculoskeletal problems (60.0%), who lived proximate to the clubs. In Secondary but not Primary Prevention participants, first-year attendance was strongly correlated with attendance in subsequent years (p<0.001). In all participants, greater attendance in the previous 12 months was significantly associated with lower waist circumference, and greater shuttle walk test duration, chair stands and balance (p<.05). Session attendance was positively correlated to peak oxygen consumption (p=0.041) in Secondary Prevention participants only.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Participation in community-based CR maintenance programs is associated with health benefits but these programs are not accessed by a diversity of patients.
authors: Active Living Laboratory, School of Physical Education, Sport and Exercise Sciences, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand. Electronic address: sandra.mandic@otago.ac.nz.
authors: Sandra
authors: S
authors: Mandic
authors: Dunedin Hospital, Dunedin, New Zealand.
authors: Dianne
authors: D
authors: Body
authors: Dunedin Hospital, Dunedin, New Zealand.
authors: Leanne
authors: L
authors: Barclay
authors: Dunedin School of Medicine, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand; Dunedin Hospital, Dunedin, New Zealand.
authors: Robert
authors: R
authors: Walker
authors: Dunedin School of Medicine, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand.
authors: Edwin R
authors: ER
authors: Nye
authors: School of Kinesiology and Health Science, York University, Toronto, Canada.
authors: Sherry L
authors: SL
authors: Grace
authors: Dunedin School of Medicine, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand; Dunedin Hospital, Dunedin, New Zealand.
authors: Michael J A
authors: MJ
authors: Williams
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D019058:Community Networks; D003324:Coronary Artery Disease / Q000097:blood / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009520:New Zealand
keywords: Attendance; Cardiac rehabilitation; Cardiovascular disease; Elderly; Physical activity; Physical function