A study from the Gregorio Marañón Hospital, published in PLOS Global Public Health, demonstrates that a 40-minute educational session on vaccination for cardiac patients increases knowledge about vaccines by 92% and debunks myths by 48%.
Research led by the Gregorio Marañón University General Hospital, a public centre in the Community of Madrid, has confirmed that the inclusion of specific education on vaccination in cardiac rehabilitation programmes drastically improves patients' knowledge and perception of vaccines against flu, pneumococcus, and COVID-19.
The study, published in the journal PLOS Global Public Health, evaluated 85 patients with cardiovascular disease participating in the Marañón Cardiac Rehabilitation Programme. Researchers measured their level of knowledge before and after a 40-minute group educational session, and the results were conclusive.
After the intervention, knowledge about the types of vaccines and their safety increased by 92%. Additionally, patients' ability to identify and debunk myths and misinformation about vaccination improved by 48%. Participants also placed greater importance on vaccination as an integral part of their cardiovascular care.
“Despite clinical guidelines recommending vaccination for cardiac patients, rates remain low. This study demonstrates that health education can be an effective tool to improve vaccine acceptance and coverage,” highlights Marta Supervía, a physician in the Rehabilitation Service at Marañón and the lead author of the work.
The research team belongs to the Gregorio Marañón Health Research Institute and the Rehabilitation Service of the hospital, in collaboration with the Mayo Clinic (USA) and the University of Toronto (Canada). The study, titled “Vaccination Education in Cardiac Rehabilitation: Assessing the Impact of an Educational Intervention on Vaccination in Patients with Cardiovascular Diseases in a Cardiac Rehabilitation Programme in Spain,” underscores the importance of integrating health education into these programmes.
The authors conclude that integrated health education in cardiac rehabilitation is an effective and necessary tool to increase vaccine acceptance and coverage in this vulnerable population, which has a higher risk of complications from preventable infections.
For patients at Marañón and other hospitals in the Community of Madrid, this finding represents a step forward in comprehensive care: it is not only about recovering physical capacity after a cardiac event but also about preventing new diseases through vaccination. Cardiac rehabilitation programmes in the region could routinely incorporate these educational sessions, improving patient health and reducing the healthcare burden from infections.
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