Harnessing Technology and Physical Activity for Cardiac Rehabilitation

: (Alternative Format Thesis)

Abstract

Cardiac rehabilitation (CR) is a guideline-recommended secondary care programme for patients with cardiovascular disease, improving mortality, morbidity, and quality of life. Despite its benefits, uptake remains suboptimal, hindered by barriers such as logistical challenges, personal beliefs, and system inefficiencies. The COVID-19 pandemic further disrupted traditional centre-based CR delivery, emphasising the urgent need for alternative approaches such as virtual or remote CR. Physical activity is a core component of CR. With advances in wearable monitoring technology, there is now an opportunity to improve the depth and quality of feedback to individuals on the many ways they can benefit from physical activity for CR. This thesis explores the potential for virtual CR, and with a focus on personalised technology-assisted physical activity feedback for CR. Chapter 3 investigated the acceptability of personal multidimensional physical activity feedback among cardiac patients and healthcare professionals. Participants perceived the feedback as informative, motivating, and valuable for monitoring progress, but emphasised the need for additional support with data interpretation. Chapter 4 examined the impact of COVID-19 on CR delivery in Southwest England, revealing shifts toward remote care and associated challenges. Chapter 5 explored patient and clinician experiences of virtual cardiology care, emphasising the need for more personalised guidance and support. Building on these insights, Chapter 6 examined the feasibility of a virtual technology-enabled physical activity feedback intervention for CR – which was shown to be feasible and acceptable for delivery in cardiac patients. Overall, the thesis provides evidence to support the use of virtual delivery models and demonstrates the potential for the use of a digital system for providing multidimensional physical activity feedback for CR.

Date of Award	25 Jun 2025
Original language	English
Awarding Institution	University of Bath
Supervisor	Oliver Peacock (Supervisor), Dylan Thompson (Supervisor) & Daniel Augustine (Supervisor)