Analysis of social determinants in cardiovascular rehabilitation: Social inequalities in health?

• Published in: Annals of physical and rehabilitation medicine 2018-07, Vol.61, p.e402-e402
• Main Authors: Racodon, M., Masson, P., Peze, T.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• ISSN: 1877-0657; 1877-0665
• DOI: 10.1016/j.rehab.2018.05.939

Retraining and cardiac rehabilitation are looking to increase cardiorespiratory and functional capacity but also to master some risk factors like, smoking, high cholesterol and physical inactivity. It is therefore a suitable transition in changing health behaviors and engages the shift to healthier lifestyles. These behaviors are influenced by a multitude of social determinants that condition and shape patients and may lead to differences in care. This study aims to analyze and understand the interactions between certain social factors and physical practice after cardiovascular rehabilitation in order to better understand the management and follow-up of patients. Follow-up was conducted with 100 patients (23 women, 77 men) with a mean age of 59.8 years (±10.4), who underwent a year ago of a rehabilitation program for cardiac rehabilitation. We determined the level of physical spending of these patients by a physical activity log and the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ). We also determined the level of knowledge on physical activities by a pretest/posttest style questionnaire. We observed that the level of physical activity depends to socioprofessional category and academic level of the patients, 73.7% of the patients with higher professions continue to be active, 89.5% of these patients follow the recommendations of physical practice, 70.6% of the patients with a higher academic level follow the recommendations and finally 66.7% of the patients with a culture of physical practice remain sufficiently active. The pursuit of physical activities after cardiac rehabilitation is conditioned by the determinants of health. It becomes necessary to understand and learn about the social and cultural determinants of patients to improve our medical practices and reduce some social inequalities in health.