Psychosocial services provided by licensed cardiac rehabilitation programs.
Montika Bush, Kelly R Evenson, Aileen Aylward and 2 others
PMID 37064600WHAT IT FOUND
North Carolina cardiac rehab programs routinely screen for depression and anxiety, with 94% using specific tools.
However, few assess social support independently. Staff cited cost, time, and patient stigma as the main barriers to expanding these psychosocial services.
Key findings
01Most programs screen for mental health, with 94% using depression or anxiety instruments and 88% using quality of life tools.
02Social support is rarely assessed independently, occurring in only 16% of programs, with no standard method used.
03The primary barriers to expanding psychosocial services are internal resource constraints, specifically expense (47%), staffing (42%), and time (33%).
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTsWhat it means for OTsWhat it means for SLPs
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What it does not show
The study relies on self-reported data from program directors, which may be subject to information bias if programs do not have accurate internal records. The findings are limited to licensed outpatient cardiac rehabilitation programs in North Carolina and may not generalize to other states or healthcare systems. The study did not assess patient outcomes directly, so it cannot determine if the identified screening and service levels actually improve mental or physical health.
Declared interests
The authors declare no conflicts of interest. The study was supported by the lead author's institutional resources, and no external funding source is mentioned in the provided text.
The easy way to misread this
Do not assume that high rates of depression screening equate to effective mental health treatment. The study shows that while screening is common, social support is rarely assessed, and significant barriers like cost and staffing limit the expansion of psychosocial services.