Key result
Resource and reimbursement gaps hinder cardiac rehabilitation in China despite growing policy support.
Why the study?
Cardiac rehabilitation remains scarce and underutilized, and the positive and negative factors influencing its implementation in middle-income countries such as China remain underexplored.
Answers are grounded in this paper and cite their sources.
Addressing resource constraints, improving financial reimbursement policies, and increasing awareness are critical steps for policymakers to expand cardiac rehabilitation access and utilization in China.
BACKGROUND: Although effective and recommended by guidelines worldwide, Cardiac Rehabilitation (CR) remains scarce and underutilized. CR implementation has taken place in middle-income countries, but the progress is influenced by both positive and negative factors that remain underexplored. This study identified the barriers and facilitators of CR in a middle-income country, specifically China. METHODS: An exploratory qualitative study was conducted using semi-structured interviews. RESULTS: Fifteen CR stakeholders were interviewed. According to the interviewees, the delivery of CR is impeded due to a lack of resources, a lack of CR professionals, and a lack of coordination between health institutions. The participation of CR is hindered by a lack of awareness, a lack of reimbursement, and a lack of access to CR. However, the interviewees also mentioned facilitating factors, namely, a positive attitude of stakeholders, high motivation of some patients, and policy support. CONCLUSIONS: More awareness regarding the effectiveness of CR is needed. Implementing CR in secondary and primary health institutions could overcome the barriers regarding travel distance and transportation to faraway hospitals. The CR reimbursement methods are needed to ease the financial burden on patients. Our findings reveal factors that need to be considered by policymakers to deliver CR on a wider scale in China.
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Zou et al. (2025) studied Cardiovascular diseases (Cardiac Rehabilitation) (n=15). Cardiac Rehabilitation was evaluated on Barriers and facilitators to Cardiac Rehabilitation implementation and participation. Cardiac rehabilitation in China is primarily hindered by a lack of resources, awareness, and financial reimbursement, but is facilitated by policy support and positive stakeholder attitudes.
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