Supportive Training After Cardiac Rehabilitation Including Virtual Engagement

Summary

The proposed research seeks to determine whether virtual coaching and social support focusing on key social cognitive factors will be an effective strategy for maintaining physical activity (PA) after completing cardiac rehabilitation (CR). Despite the well-documented benefits of CR, only 15-50% of individuals continue to exercise 6 months after completing CR.4-6 Thus, after 36 sessions (typically 12 weeks), many patients are left without the support necessary to sustain physical activity (PA) and prevent adverse secondary cardiac events. Though previous research has explored interventions to sustain PA after CR, many studies have been lacking in a theoretical basis, objective measurement of PA, measurement, and analysis of psychosocial and social cognitive factors, and long-term impact on clinical outcomes. Low-cost, pragmatic approaches to maintaining PA after CR is urgently needed for older adults, and virtual technologies offer promising solutions to promote adherence to PA. The three specific aims of the project are to: 1) determine the effect of virtual coaching and social support on adherence to PA (measured by objective step counts) in the intervention vs. control groups; secondary measures will be amount of sedentary time, functional fitness, and self-reported exercise; 2) determine the effect of virtual coaching and social support on psychosocial and social cognitive factors in the intervention vs. control groups; 2a) evaluate the extent to which psychosocial and social cognitive factors mediate the effect of the intervention on PA adherence; 3) examine differences in cardiovascular (CVD) risk factors (blood pressure, lipids, HbA1c, BMI) between groups.

Conditions

• Adherence to Physical Activity After Completing Cardiac Rehabilitation (CR) in Older Adults

Interventions

BEHAVIORAL

Virtual Coaching and social support

The investigators propose a randomized clinical trial (RCT) of a virtual coaching and social support intervention that integrates evidence- and theory-based approaches to build self-efficacy, self-regulation, and perceived social support after cardiac rehabilitation (CR) to improve physical activity, psychosocial, social cognitive, and clinical outcomes, delivered via a social networking platform (Trainerize). Our intervention will also include goal setting for exercise and tailored feedback by our qualified intervention team.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• University of California, Davis

  collaborator OTHER

• National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI)

  collaborator NIH

• University of California, San Francisco

  lead OTHER

Principal Investigators

• Linda Park, PhD, NP · University of California, San Francisco

Study Design

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

SUPPORTIVE_CARE

Masking

SINGLE

Model

PARALLEL

Eligibility

Min Age

55 Years

Max Age

100 Years

Sex

ALL

Healthy Volunteers

No

Timeline & Regulatory

Start

2025-05-13

Primary Completion

2029-03-31

Completion

2029-06-30

Countries

• United States

Study Locations