Table 1.
Descriptive characteristics of CRPs that did and did not include people poststroke across Canada
| Characteristic | CRPs n = 114 n (%) |
Include stroke n = 74 n (%) |
No stroke n = 40 n (%) |
P value |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Province | n = 114 | n = 74 | n = 40 | 0.511 |
| Ontario | 44 (38.6) | 27 (36.5) | 17 (42.5) | |
| Quebec | 24 (21.1) | 18 (24.3) | 6 (15) | |
| Prairie∗ | 19 (16.7) | 14 (18.9) | 5 (12.5) | |
| Atlantic∗ | 15 (13.2) | 9 (12.2) | 6 (15) | |
| British Columbia | 12 (10.5) | 6 (8.1) | 6 (15) | |
| Location | n = 84 | n = 56 | n = 28 | 0.340 |
| Urban | 37 (44) | 28 (50.0) | 9 (32.1) | |
| Rural | 27 (32.1) | 15 (26.8) | 12 (42.9) | |
| Suburban | 18 (21.4) | 12 (21.4) | 6 (21.4) | |
| All of the above† | 2 (2.4) | 1 (1.8) | 1 (3.6) | |
| CRP facility setting | n = 84 | n = 56 | n = 28 | 0.415 |
| Hospital-based/affiliated | 50 (59.5) | 36 (64.3) | 14 (50.0) | |
| Community recreation/fitness center | 16 (19) | 10 (17.9) | 6 (21.4) | |
| University | 7 (8.3) | 5 (8.9) | 2 (7.1) | |
| Community health centre | 6 (7.1) | 2 (3.6) | 4 (14.3) | |
| Independent facility | 5 (6.0) | 3 (5.4) | 2 (7.1) | |
| Funding source‡ | n = 80 | n = 53 | n = 24 | |
| Hospital/clinical center funding, any | 45 (56.3) | 31 (57.4) | 14 (53.8) | 0.813 |
| Government/provincial health insurance, any | 35 (43.8) | 23 (42.6) | 12 (46.2) | 0.764 |
| User fee, any | 20 (25) | 12 (22.2) | 8 (30.8) | 0.408 |
| User fee only | 6 (7.5) | 4 (7.4) | 2 (7.7) | 0.964 |
| Private health insurance/industry, any | 2 (2.5) | 1 (1.9) | 1 (3.8) | 1.00 |
| Fundraising/foundation, any | 4 (5.0) | 3 (5.6) | 1 (3.8) | 1.00 |
| Research, any | 3 (3.8) | 1 (1.9) | 2 (7.7) | 0.198 |
| > 1 source of funding | 20 (25) | 12 (22.2) | 8 (30.8) | 0.408 |
| Distance to closest outpatient stroke program | n = 83 | n = 56 | n = 27 | |
| Within 25 km | 47 (56.6) | 33 (58.9) | 14 (51.9) | 0.660 |
| 26-50 km | 10 (12.0) | 5 (8.9) | 5 (18.5) | |
| > 50 km | 17 (20.5) | 12 (21.4) | 5 (18.5) | |
| I do not know | 9 (10.9) | 6 (10.7) | 3 (11.1) | |
| No. of patients enrolled in 1 y | n = 78 | n = 54 | n = 24 | 0.043 |
| 1-100 | 25 (32.1) | 14 (25.9) | 11 (45.8) | |
| 101-500 | 36 (46.2) | 30 (55.6) | 6 (25) | |
| > 500 | 17 (21.8) | 10 (18.5) | 7 (29.2) | |
| Capacity | n = 82 | n = 54 | n = 28 | 0.283 |
| Mainly under capacity | 11 (13.4) | 7 (13) | 4 (14.3) | |
| Mainly at capacity | 55 (67.1) | 39 (72.2) | 16 (57.1) | |
| Mainly over capacity | 16 (19.5) | 8 (14.8) | 8 (28.6) | |
| Wait-list | n = 82 | n = 55 | n = 27 | 0.297 |
| No wait-list | 11 (13.4) | 8 (14.5) | 3 (11.1) | |
| A wait-list but < 1 mo | 30 (36.6) | 23 (41.8) | 7 (25.9) | |
| 1-2 mo | 30 (36.6) | 19 (34.5) | 11 (40.7) | |
| 3+ mo | 11 (13.4) | 5 (9.1) | 6 (22.2) | |
| Healthcare professionals | n = 84 | n = 56 | n = 28 | |
| Dietitian | 67 (79.8) | 43 (76.8) | 24 (85.7) | 0.337 |
| Nurse or nurse practitioner | 64 (76.2) | 43 (76.8) | 21 (75) | 0.856 |
| Exercise professionals§ | 63 (75.0) | 44 (78.6) | 19 (67.9) | 0.285 |
| Physician, any | 62 (73.8) | 40 (71.4) | 22 (78.6) | 0.483 |
| Administrative | 48 (57.1) | 31 (55.4) | 17 (60.7) | 0.640 |
| Psych/social worker | 43 (51.2) | 26 (46.4) | 17 (60.7) | 0.217 |
| Physiotherapist | 40 (47.6) | 24 (42.9) | 16 (57.1) | 0.217 |
| Pharmacist | 32 (38.1) | 19 (33.9) | 13 (46.4) | 0.266 |
| Volunteers | 33 (39.3) | 23 (41.1) | 10 (35.7) | 0.636 |
| Program model | n = 84 | n = 56 | n = 29 | 0.049 |
| Hybrid program: Combination of home-based exercise independent of rehabilitation staff and regular supervised facility-based exercise | 58 (69) | 42 (75) | 16 (57.1) | |
| Web-based option (not included in analysis) | 3 (3.6) | 3 (5.4) | 0 | |
| Supervised, on-site sessions only | 23 (27.4) | 11 (19.6) | 12 (42.9) | |
| Web-based option (not included in analysis) | 2 (2.3) | 2 (3.6) | 0 | |
| Home-based alone (indirect supervision for most exercise with periodic 1-on-1 sessions with rehabilitation staff) | 3 (3.6) | 3 (5.4) | 0 | |
| Home-based (option offered by CRPs with a hybrid or on-site program but not offered as the only option) (not included in analysis) | 12 (14.3) | 8 (14.3) | 4 (13.8) | |
| Staff-to-patient ratio | n = 85 | n = 56 | n = 29 | 0.734 |
| Home-exercise only | 3 (3.5) | 3 (5.4) | 0 (0.0) | |
| 1:2-5 | 31 (36.5) | 19 (33.9) | 12 (41.4) | |
| 1:6-10 | 36 (42.4) | 25 (44.6) | 11 (37.9) | |
| 1:>10 | 13 (15.3) | 8 (14.3) | 5 (17.2) | |
| Other (varies, use ranking system based on risk and needs of clients) | 2 (2.4) | 1 (1.8) | 1 (3.4) | |
| Duration of CRP | n = 84 | n = 55 | n = 29 | 0.19 |
| 2-8 wk | 10 (11.9) | 4 (7.3) | 6 (20.7) | |
| 9-12 wk | 40 (47.6) | 25 (45.5) | 15 (51.7) | |
| 13-24 wk | 28 (33.3) | 21 (38.2) | 7 (24.1) | |
| Unlimited duration | 6 (7.1) | 5 (9.1) | 1 (13.8) | |
| No. of on-site sessions | n = 84 | n = 56 | n = 28 | 0.24 |
| 1 session per week | 12 (14.3) | 10 (17.9) | 2 (7.1) | |
| 2 sessions per week | 52 (61.9) | 30 (53.6) | 22 (78.6) | |
| 3 sessions per week | 14 (16.7) | 11 (19.6) | 3 (10.7) | |
| No regular on-site sessions (home exercise) | 3 (3.6) | 3 (5.4) | 0 (0.0) | |
| Unlimited | 3 (3.6) | 2 (3.6) | 1 (3.6) | |
| Maximum duration of sessions (including education) | n = 82 | n = 54 | n = 28 | 0.403 |
| ≤ 60 min | 33 (40.2) | 21 (38.9) | 15 (53.6) | |
| 61-90 min | 33 (40.2) | 23 (42.6) | 10 (35.7) | |
| > 90 min | 13 (15.9) | 10 (18.5) | 3 (10.7) | |
| Exercise prescription | ||||
| AT assessment | n = 83 | n = 55 | n = 28 | |
| Graded exercise stress test with ECG and BP | 47 (56.6) | 30 (54.5) | 17 (60.7) | 0.89 |
| 6MWT alone | 15 (18.1) | 10 (18.2) | 5 (17.9) | |
| ECG telemetry alone | 6 (7.2) | 4 (7.3) | 2 (7.1) | |
| No assessment | 15 (18.1) | 11 (20) | 4 (14.3) | |
| RT | n = 82 | n = 54 | n = 28 | |
| RT prescribed | 76 (92.7) | 50 (92.6) | 26 (92.9) | 1.0 |
| Strength assessment (1RM) n = 72/49/23 | 26 (36.1) | 16 (32.7) | 10 (43.5) | 0.37 |
| Assessments pre/post/during exercise | n = 84 | n = 56 | n = 28 | |
| Blood pressure (at least for those at risk for hypo/hypertension) | 80 (95.2) | 54 (96.4) | 26 (92.9) | 0.60 |
| Heart rate | 80 (95.2) | 54 (96.4) | 26 (92.9) | 0.60 |
| Blood glucose (at least for those at risk for hypoglycaemia) | 71 (84.5) | 47 (83.9) | 24 (85.7) | 1.00 |
| Oxygen saturation when appropriate | 73 (86.9) | 50 (89.3) | 23 (82.1) | 0.49 |
| ECG telemetry when needed | 24 (28.6) | 17 (30.4) | 7 (25.0) | 0.80 |
| Other services provided | n = 84-79 | n = 56-49 | n = 28-24 | |
| Educational sessions (eg, risk factor management) | 80 (95.2) | 53 (94.6) | 27 (96.4) | 1.0 |
| Nutrition counselling | 69 (83.1) | 45 (80.4) | 24 (88.9) | 0.53 |
| Medication counselling | 61 (75.3) | 38 (70.4) | 23 (85.2) | 0.18 |
| Follow-up assessment after completion of program | 58 (71.6) | 35 (66.0) | 23 (82.1) | 0.13 |
| Depression/psychological counselling | 53 (67.1) | 35 (67.3) | 18 (66.7) | 0.95 |
| Social services (eg, support groups, SW) | 36 (47.4) | 27 (51.9) | 9 (37.5) | 0.32 |
| Falls risk assessment/education | 34 (46.6) | 28 (57.1) | 6 (25.0) | 0.013 |
Proportions account for missing values.
AT, aerobic training; BP, blood pressure; CRP, cardiac rehabilitation program; ECG, electrocardiogram; 1RM, 1 repetition maximum; RT, resistance training; 6MWT, 6-minute walk test; SW, social worker.
∗
Atlantic Provinces (Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, New Brunswick); Prairie (Alberta, Manitoba, and Saskatchewan).
†
Two respondents representing 16 programs.
‡
Examined independently because there was considerable overlap in primary funding source.
§
Includes kinesiologists and exercise physiologists.