Sex and Racial Disparities in Cardiac Rehabilitation Referral at Hospital Discharge and Gaps in Long‐Term Mortality
Key result
CR referral is linked to ~40% lower mortality in CAD despite significant underutilization.
Why the study?
Does cardiac rehabilitation referral at hospital discharge reduce long-term mortality in patients with coronary artery disease?
Population
48,993 coronary artery disease patients from 365 hospitals across the United States
Comparison
Cardiac rehabilitation referral at hospital… vs No cardiac rehabilitation referral at hospital…
Design
Cohort
Follow-up
3 years
Authors
Discussion
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Member takes
Implication
Low CR referral rates with sex/racial disparities persist despite mortality association; leaves open whether closing gaps improves outcomes.
Structured PICO
Does cardiac rehabilitation referral at hospital discharge reduce long-term mortality in patients with coronary artery disease?
P
Population
48,993 coronary artery disease patients from 365 hospitals across the United States (linked AHA Get With The Guidelines Coronary Artery Disease registry and Medicare claims data, 2003-2009)
I
Intervention
Cardiac rehabilitation (CR) referral at hospital discharge
C
Comparator
No cardiac rehabilitation referral at hospital discharge
O
Outcome
3-year all-cause mortalityhard clinical
Cardiac rehabilitation referral at hospital discharge is associated with significantly lower 3-year mortality, but substantial sex and racial disparities exist in referral rates that contribute to mortality gaps.
Cite This Study
Li et al. (2018) studied this question. Only 40% of eligible coronary artery disease patients received cardiac rehabilitation referrals, with women and minorities significantly underrepresented, leading to 40% lower mortality with referral.