Intention to Engage in Exercise Rehabilitation Among Patients with Cardiovascular Disease: A Scoping Review

Purpose: This paper compiles the scope of research on exercise rehabilitation intention among patients with cardiovascular diseases and identifies the current landscape, influencing factors, assessment instruments, and intervention strategies related to exercise rehabilitation intention, aiming to inform clinical efforts aimed at encouraging active patient engagement in rehabilitation. Methods: Eleven Chinese and English databases were systematically searched between the database's creation and August 28, 2024, under the scoping review methodology. Two researchers independently performed literature screening and data extraction. Results: A total of 25 studies were included (21 in English, 4 in Chinese), 16 specifically assessed exercise rehabilitation intentions in cardiovascular disease patients, approximately half (8/16) of the cardiovascular disease patients exhibited suboptimal exercise rehabilitation intention. The assessment tools for exercise rehabilitation intentions are diverse, with dimensions primarily focused on willingness and planning. Determinants included psychosocial, disease-related, and sociodemographic factors. Identified intervention strategies included group health education, individual psychological support, and motivational interviewing. Conclusion: Among cardiovascular disease patients exercise rehabilitation intentions remain inconsistent, as approximately half of the studies indicating medium-to-low average levels, which are influenced by several factors. Therefore, to accurately assess patients' levels of exercise rehabilitation intention, further research may focus on enhancing the dimensions, reliability, and validity of assessment tools. Exploring multifaceted and varied intervention strategies could potentially improve patients' exercise rehabilitation intention and compliance.