Home › Cardiovascular Disease › NCT05423158

Virtual Care Strategies to Improve Participation in Cardiac Rehabilitation Among Veterans

Who can join

Ages 21 and older · All sexes

Inclusion Criteria:

1. History of cardiovascular disease that qualified participant for CR (MI, percutaneous coronary intervention, coronary artery bypass grafting, heart failure, valve surgery)
2. Referral to participate in home-based Phase II CR

Exclusion Criteria:

1. Participation in center-based Phase II CR
2. Cognitive impairment (per Mini-Cog)
3. Lack of English proficiency/literacy (Digital coaching will be conducted in English. Participants will need to speak/read English to receive intervention.)
4. Unstable clinical conditions (e.g., unstable arrhythmias or heart block, active infection, uncontrolled hypertension, decompensated heart failure, unstable angina, etc.)

About the study

Home-based CR (HBCR) is an alternative to traditional CR programs that has comparable efficacy in improving morbidity/mortality and increases access to critical services. There is major potential to improve Veteran engagement in CR by combining digital coaching (d-Coaching) with existing VA-supported technologies. The investigator's theory-based intervention targets a critical component of successful CR engagement that is not available through traditional programs: virtual social support through a social network. In addition, the investigators propose to improve self-efficacy and self-regulation through interactive digital multi-media education, personalized feedback, and motivation so that Veterans can complete the prescribed HBCR program and maintain physical activity long-term. This RCT will evaluate the effects of HBCR alone (usual care) versus HBCR + d-Coaching, including a private group with direct messaging on the Connecteam mobile application and bimonthly engagement sessions via VA Video Connect. The investigators will randomly assign 150 Veterans from 2 HBCR programs to a 3-month intervention. The addition of d- Coaching to existing digital technologies will be operationalized by using a private social media group to provide social support, education, personalized feedback, and motivation.

The investigators aim to determine the effect of the d-Coaching intervention on: a) the number of completed HBCR sessions over 3 months, b) functional capacity, c) physical activity, c) psychosocial outcomes, d) clinical outcomes, and e) social cognitive factors of self-efficacy, self-regulation, and perceived social support over 6 months. The investigators will also evaluate the extent to which self-efficacy, self-regulation, and perceived social support mediate the effect of the intervention on function and physical activity.

What is being tested

• d-Coaching (behavioral)

Sponsor: VA Office of Research and Development · Participants: 150 · Started: Mar 15, 2023

Contact the study team

• Linda G Park, PhD MS NP · Phone: (925) 348-2174
• Julia von Oppenfeld, BA · Phone: (415) 676-1153

Official record on ClinicalTrials.gov — NCT05423158

Locations in the U.S.

Conditions

• Cardiovascular Disease

From ClinicalTrials.gov, data retrieved Sep 29, 2026. Each study sets its own eligibility; the study team decides who can join.