Cardiac rehabilitation (CR) has been shown to improve outcomes for individuals with cardiovascular conditions significantly. The encouragement and referrals provided by healthcare professionals are crucial for engaging patients in CR programs. This study aimed to investigate the perceptions of Chinese healthcare providers regarding CR, assess the frequency with which they recommend it to patients, and examine the factors influencing their recommendation practices. A nationwide cross-sectional survey targeted cardiovascular physicians, nurses, rehabilitation therapists, and general practitioners across various healthcare settings. A total of 1,120 valid responses were analyzed. The questionnaire collected demographic data, used the Chinese adaptation of the Recommending Cardiac Rehabilitation (ReCaRe) scale to evaluate beliefs about CR, and collected information on CR knowledge, available resources, and recommendation behaviors. Binary logistic regression was used to examine factors associated with the likelihood of recommending CR.The mean ± SD total score on the ReCaRe scale was 60.80 ± 7.36. The mean ± SD subscales included perceived severity and susceptibility (3.98 ± 0.60), service accessibility (2.72 ± 0.96), and perceived benefits and barriers (4.13 ± 0.56). Overall, 56.5% of respondents reported recommending CR to patients, but only 34.6% were well-acquainted with specific CR protocols. In addition, 86.0% expressed a need for greater resources and training regarding CR. Factors independently associated with recommending CR included familiarity with CR content and core components, professional title, availability of CR services, hospital type, clinical role, department affiliation, and age. There is an urgent need to enhance healthcare providers’ knowledge and access to resources concerning CR. Targeted training and improvements in service availability could help strengthen CR referral practices and increase patient participation rates.
