Burden, screening, and treatment of depressive and anxious symptoms among women referred to cardiac rehabilitation : a prospective study

Women with cardiovascular disease experience a significantly greater burden of psychosocial distress than men. Clinical practice guidelines promote screening in cardiac rehabilitation (CR).

The objectives of this thesis were to describe the burden of psychosocial distress, screening, forms of treatment, awareness of elevated symptoms, and whether receipt of treatment was related to subsequent psychosocial distress symptom severity, within women referred to CR.

This study presents a secondary analysis of a multi-centre trial of women outpatients randomized to 1 of 3 CR models. Consenting participants were asked to complete an initial and follow-up survey 6 months later, and clinical data were extracted from charts.

Findings reiterate that despite clinical recommendations, few women reported being screened for psychological distress, and when screened, only approximately 1/5th were informed of their results. When treated, most women were prescribed anti-depressants by their family doctor. Unfortunately therapy was not related to improvements in symptoms.