Iranian Journal of Rehabilitation Research in Nursing

Introduction: Although last advancement in the treatment of coronary artery disease and cardiac care was remarkable in recent decades, but cardiac rehabilitation programs hasn't been significant development. The aim of this study was to determine and compare obstacles and facilitators of attending cardiac rehabilitation programs from viewpoints of patients' with coronary artery bypass graft surgery and East Azerbaijan cardiac rehabilitation specialists. Methods: It was a descriptive analytical study, statistical population Included all cardiac rehabilitation experts (11persons) of east Azerbaijan and all patients with CABG (103) were selected from East Azerbaijan by census. Data were gathered by scholar made questionnaire that its validity and reliability was determined by Lavashe method and retest coefficient and Cronbach alpha. Collected data was analyzed by KS-test, Spearman rank correlation and Mann–Whitneyin SPSS/19. Result: The most important obstacles of cardiac rehabilitation from expert's viewpoint were lack of knowledge about program, no referral by doctor and rehabilitation costs and the most important facilitators were physician referrals, follow-up, discounting costs, holding courses in different shifts and launching rehabilitation centers in different towns.The most important obstacles from patients' viewpoint were no patient reference by doctor, lack of knowledge of cardiac rehabilitation programs and not following and contacting patient by treatment staff and the most important facilitators were physicians' advice to attend course, informing about programs and launching cardiac rehabilitation centers in towns. Conclusion: According to the results of research, cardiac rehabilitation's obstacles such as, lack of Patients' knowledge, non-referral by physicians, failure to follow the staff rehabilitation and rehabilitation costs were considered.