Participation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People in Conventional Cardiac Rehabilitation Programs: Analysis of the Queensland Cardiac Outcomes Registry

Emma E Thomas; Michael Le Grande; Lidya A Jokhu; Andrew Goodman; Samara Phillips; Anthony C Smith; Ray Mahoney; William Y.S Wang; Victor Oguoma

doi:10.1016/j.hlc.2025.09.011

Back

Participation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People in Conventional Cardiac Rehabilitation Programs: Analysis of the Queensland Cardiac Outcomes Registry

Journal article

Open access

Peer reviewed

Participation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People in Conventional Cardiac Rehabilitation Programs: Analysis of the Queensland Cardiac Outcomes Registry

Emma E Thomas, Michael Le Grande, Lidya A Jokhu, Andrew Goodman, Samara Phillips, Anthony C Smith, Ray Mahoney, William Y.S Wang and Victor Oguoma

Heart, Lung and Circulation, Vol.Advanced access

09-Feb-2026

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.hlc.2025.09.011

Appears in Thompson Institute Research Collection

Files and links (1)

pdf

PIIS14439506250168772.44 MBDownload View

Published Version (Advanced Access) Open Access CC BY V4.0

Abstract

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander

cardiac rehabilitation

registry

participation

First Nations Peoples

UniSC Diversity Area - Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Engagement

Thompson Institute Special Collection

Other Collaborations

Aims High-quality, culturally safe, secondary prevention care has the potential to improve the cardiovascular health of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People in Australia (hereafter collectively referred to as First Nations Peoples). Despite this, there is a paucity of comprehensive data on cardiac rehabilitation (CR) participation among First Nations Peoples. The Queensland Cardiac Outcome Registry is a clinical registry that routinely collects point-of-care CR data. Therefore, the aim of this study is to (i) describe the First Nations populations referred to CR across Queensland, (ii) quantify rates of participation, and (iii) determine factors associated with CR attendance and completion. Methods The cohort comprised 2,383 patients who identified as Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander and were referred to one of 56 Queensland CR service extracted from Queensland Cardiac Outcome Registry (2020–2022). Bivariate and multivariable logistic regression analyses were used to identify factors associated with CR attendance and completion. Results Over the study period, 50% (n=1,185) of First Nations patients in Queensland participated in at least one CR session. Of those who attended, 28% (n=333) completed CR (14% of the total cohort). The strongest predictors of CR attendance were having a coronary artery bypass graft or percutaneous coronary intervention procedure, living regionally (as opposed to remotely/very remotely), and coming from areas of higher socio-economic advantage. CR completion was more likely among men, those in older age groups (particularly 55–64 years), living in a major city, and non-smokers. Conclusions This study provides the first known large-scale analysis of the uptake of CR programs among First Nations cardiac patients in Australia. We demonstrate that rates of attendance are higher among this cohort than previously reported. Barriers to attendance are described and highlight an important socio-economic gradient. There are clear opportunities for improving access to evidence-based secondary prevention programs for First Nations Peoples and benefits in collectively considering how unmet needs can be supported.

Details

Title: Participation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People in Conventional Cardiac Rehabilitation Programs: Analysis of the Queensland Cardiac Outcomes Registry
Authors: Emma E Thomas (Corresponding Author) - The University of Queensland
Michael Le Grande - Australian Centre for Heart Health
Lidya A Jokhu - The University of Queensland
Andrew Goodman - Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation
Samara Phillips - Australian Centre for Heart Health
Anthony C Smith - The University of Queensland
Ray Mahoney - Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation
William Y.S Wang - The University of Queensland
Victor Oguoma - University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland, Thompson Institute
Publication details: Heart, Lung and Circulation, Vol.Advanced access
Publisher: Elsevier Australia
DOI: 10.1016/j.hlc.2025.09.011
ISSN: 1444-2892
Copyright note: � 2025 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier B.V. on behalf of Australian and New Zealand Society of Cardiac and Thoracic Surgeons (ANZSCTS) and the Cardiac Society of Australia and New Zealand (CSANZ). This is an open access article under the CC BY license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).
Data Availability: The data underlying this article cannot be shared publicly due to ethics requirements. The data can be accessed via reasonable request to the Queensland Cardiac Outcome Registry.
Grants: Improving equity, access, and quality of cardiac rehabilitation services, 2017450, National Health and Medical Research Council (Australia, Canberra) - NHMRC
Grant note: E.E.T. was supported by the National Heart Foundation of Australia (#105215)
Organisation Unit: Thompson Institute
Language: English
Record Identifier: 991205481402621
Output Type: Journal article

Metrics

6 File views/ downloads

23 Record Views