Text Messaging to Improve Heart Healthy Behaviors and Cardiac Rehabilitation Participation

Abstract

This study aimed to determine whether patients with heart disease who are eligible for cardiac rehabilitation could be encouraged to attend cardiac rehabilitation and engage in healthy behaviors by receiving text messages. There were originally intended to be two parts to the study. Part 1 was to develop text messages by having patients eligible for cardiac rehabilitation rate the usefulness and readability of a sample of text messages. Part 2 was planned to be a randomized clinical trial of text messages compared to usual care but was not initiated. This study was concluded after data collection for Part 1 because the principal investigator changed jobs. The data for Part 1 (rating of text messages) is reported here.