Efficacy of team work in health promotion and secondary prevention in patients admitted for cardiovascular rehabilitation

The object of the study was to evaluate the immediate efficacy of periodical educational meetings organized in Cardiovascular Rehabilitation Department aimed to improve knowledge about cardiovascular pathology, risk factors and correct life style. Methods: from October 2008 a multiprofessional group organized educational meetings for patients and their relatives, using two questionnaires to explore patients’ level of knowledge, before and after the meeting. Results: 124 patients (90 males) answered the questionnaire 1, while questionnaire 2 was completed by 93 subjects (70 males). From the answers to questionnaire 1, a significant improvement of knowledge about coronary anatomy and cardiovascular therapy emerged. Indeed, 99% of patients vs 81% before the meeting (p=0.001) understood the coronary artery function, 69% vs 44% (p=0,0001) of participants was familiar with coronary angioplasty, 81% vs. 64% (p=0,003) demonstrated to understand the coronary artery bypass and finally 85% vs. 52% (p=0,0001) were able to distinguish mechanical from biological prosthesis. From answers to questionnaire 2, a trend in favour to an improvement of knowledge regarding coronary risk factors and correct life style emerged. Younger patients (<70 ys) had a higher baseline level knowledge (p=0,003 and p=0.001 group 1 and 2, respectively) compared to older subjects, but in the latter a trend in favour of enhanced knowledge (p=0.06) after the educational meetings emerged. Conclusions: educational meetings are significantly correlated with an improvement of patients’ knowledge regarding cardiovascular pathology and treatments independently from patients’ age.