Feasibility and effectiveness of cardiac telerehabilitation for older adults with coronary heart disease: A pilot randomized controlled trial

Background: Cardiac rehabilitation is a beneficial multidisciplinary treatment of exercise promotion, patient education, risk factor management, and psychosocial counseling for people with coronary heart disease (CHD) that is underutilized due to substantial disparities in access, referral, and participation. Empirical studies suggest that cardiac telerehabilitation (CTR) have safety and efficacy comparable to traditional in-person cardiac rehabilitation, however, older adults are under-reported with effectiveness, feasibility, and usability remains unclear. Methods: The study randomized 43 older adults (84 % males) to the 12-week CTR intervention or standard of care. Guided by Social Cognitive Theory, participants received individualized in-person assessment and e-coaching sessions, followed by CTR usage at home. Data were collected at baseline (T0), six-week (T1), and 12-week (T2). Results: Participants in the CTR intervention group showed significant improvement in daily steps (T1: β = 4126.58, p = 0.001; T2: β = 5285, p = 0.01) and health-promoting lifestyle profile (T1: β = 23.26, p