Retrospective study of influence of deprivation on uptake of cardiac rehabilitation

Abstract
Scottish morbidity record (SMR1) data were used to identify all patients discharged from Glasgow hospitals from 1 June 1994 to 31 November 1994 with an International Classification of Diseases (revision 9) code of 410 (myocardial infarction). Each patient's age, sex, postcode, comorbidities, and consultant were recorded, together with whether they died before discharge. Postcodes were used to obtain the Carstairs deprivation score for the 5000 or so residents within each postcode sector.5 This is calculated from 1991 census data on overcrowding and male unemployment in each sector and the numbers of residents who belong to a low social class and who have no access to a car. Higher scores represent a higher level of deprivation. Four of Glasgow's five main hospitals offer a cardiac rehabilitation programme, and a list of patients invited to rehabilitation was obtained from the hospitals. Information was provided on which of these patients started the programme and which completed it.