Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are among the leading causes of mortality worldwide and are frequently accompanied by psychological distress such as depression, anxiety, stress, and reduced quality of life. While traditional cardiac rehabilitation focuses primarily on physical recovery, growing evidence highlights the importance of addressing psychological well-being to improve long-term prognosis. Community-based rehabilitation (CBR) has emerged as an effective, accessible, and holistic model of care that integrates physical, psychological, social, technological, and lifestyle interventions.
This review aims to synthesize existing literature through thematic analysis to explore how community-based rehabilitation supports psychological well-being among cardiovascular patients. Forty-three peer-reviewed studies, including systematic reviews, meta-analyses, and randomized controlled trials, were analysed. Five major themes were identified: exercise-based rehabilitation, psychological interventions, technology and home-based care, social and community support systems, and holistic lifestyle-centered approaches.
The findings demonstrate that community-based rehabilitation significantly enhances emotional stability, self-efficacy, social connectedness, treatment adherence, and quality of life while reducing depression, anxiety, and isolation. The review concludes that psychological well-being is a core determinant of cardiovascular recovery and that community-based rehabilitation provides an optimal framework for sustainable, patient-centered care.
Keywords: Community-based rehabilitation, cardiovascular disease, psychological well-being, thematic analysis, holistic rehabilitation.
How to cite this article: Paipuru S, Lalitha K, Jeeragyal DP, Velukuri K, Vijay M, Subramanyam V, Haseena S, Community-Based Rehabilitation and Psychological Well-Being among Cardiovascular Patients: A Thematic Review. Int J Drug Deliv Technol. 2026;16(5s): 135-148. DOI: 10.25258/ijddt.16.5s.17