ABSTRACT
Education, counseling, and behavioral interventions are essential elements of cardiac rehabilitation. We define “education” as systematic instruction, and “counseling” as providing advice, support, and consultation. “Behavioral interventions” refer to systematic instruction in techniques to modify health-related behaviors. Patients with cardiovascular disease have to learn to manage their illness and their symptoms to prevent or retard progression or induce regression of atherosclerosis (1, 2). This management focuses on techniques to manage lifestyle changes, guided by health professionals. In the early years of cardiac rehabilitation, approaches to teach patients and families effective health management techniques and health messages were almost entirely based on educational models. More recently, it has been recognized that a combination of principles using educational, counseling, and behavioral intervention strategies are necessary to effect desirable behavioral outcomes (3, 4). Chapters 22 to 28 focus on smoking cessation, lipid lowering, management of hypertension, weight management and exercise in the treatment of obesity, and several psychosocial risk factors such as anger/hostility, depression, and social isolation. Stress management is also discussed. Chapters 29 to 32 consider secondary prevention and rehabilitation efforts within a broader context of the patients and their families, as well as their work place and community; thus issues relevant to return to work and vocational counseling are discussed. Education for special populations and assessment of quality of life in secondary prevention are also included.
