Psychosocial Screening and Assessment Practice within Cardiac Rehabilitation: A Survey of Cardiac Rehabilitation Coordinators in Australia.
BACKGROUND
Many cardiac rehabilitation (CR) guidelines and position statements recommend screening for psychosocial risk factors, although there is wide variation in the recommended factors and recommended screening tools. Little is known about screening in CR in Australia.


METHODS
Cardiac rehabilitation coordinators at the 314 CR programs operating across Australia, drawn from the 2014 Australian Directory of Cardiac Rehabilitation Services were invited to participate in an online survey.


RESULTS
Of 165 complete responses, 157 (95%) CR coordinators indicated that they screened at entry with 132 (80%) screening on exit. At CR entry, programs screened for - depression (83%), anxiety (75%), stress (75%), and sleep disturbance (57%). The use of standardised instruments by those screening at entry varied from 89% for depression to only 9% for sleep disturbance. Organisational, resource and personal barriers inhibited the routine screening for many psychosocial factors.


CONCLUSIONS
Surveys such as this are useful for monitoring the rate of adoption of guideline recommendations and identifying barriers to implementation. Findings can also inform discussions about what should be included in minimum data sets for CR programs, and the identification of brief screening tools that have been validated not just in the general population but in cardiac patients.
Australian Centre for Heart Health, Melbourne, Vic., Australia; Centre on Behavioural Health, University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong; Faculty of Health, Deakin University, Melbourne, Vic., Australia. Electronic address: alun.jackson@australianhearthealth.org.au.
Alun C
AC
Jackson
Australian Centre for Heart Health, Melbourne, Vic., Australia; Faculty of Health, Deakin University, Melbourne, Vic., Australia.
Michael R
MR
Le Grande
Australian Centre for Heart Health, Melbourne, Vic., Australia; Department of Physiotherapy, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Vic., Australia; School of Psychology, Deakin University, Melbourne, Vic., Australia.
Rosemary O
RO
Higgins
Australian Centre for Heart Health, Melbourne, Vic., Australia; Faculty of Health, Deakin University, Melbourne, Vic., Australia.
Michelle
M
Rogerson
Australian Centre for Heart Health, Melbourne, Vic., Australia; Faculty of Health, Deakin University, Melbourne, Vic., Australia; Department of Psychology, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Vic., Australia; School of Medicine & Public Health, University of Newcastle, Newcastle, NSW, Australia.
Barbara M
BM
Murphy
D001007:Anxiety / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology; D001315:Australia; D000072038:Cardiac Rehabilitation; D003863:Depression / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D019983:Guideline Adherence; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011584:Psychology; D012893:Sleep Wake Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
Assessment; Cardiac rehabilitation; Psychosocial; Screening