The Effects of a Home-Based Cardiac Rehabilitation Program via the Line Application on Functional Capacity and Quality of Life Among Open-Heart Surgery Patients: A Quasi-Experimental Study

Background/Objectives: This study aims to investigate the effects of a home-based cardiac rehabilitation (HBCR) program via a LINE application on functional capacity and quality of life (QOL) in open-heart surgery patients. Methods: This study involved 54 open-heart surgery patients divided into a control group and an experimental group (27 intervention, 27 control) using pair matching. Participants in the intervention group participated in the HBCR program, while the control group received standard care. Orem’s self-care theory was used as the conceptual framework. Functional capacity was measured via a six-minute walk test and the Duke Activity Status Index, while QOL was measured via the Thai version of the Short Form-36 Survey. Results: The findings from the study reveal that the patients who underwent open-heart surgery in the experimental group had significantly higher functional capacity compared to those in the control group (p < 0.05). Additionally, the overall QOL of the open-heart surgery patients in the experimental group was significantly better than that of the control group, alongside physical functioning, emotional roles, vitality, mental health, social functioning, and general health (p < 0.05). However, there were no significant differences between the two groups in terms of physical roles and bodily pain (p > 0.05). Conclusions: Using an HBCR program via the LINE application has the potential to enhance the at-home self-care ability of post-open-heart surgery patients, thus improving their functional capacity and QOL.