The Need for Culturally Tailored Cardiac Rehabilitation Programmes for Underserved, Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Populations in Australia

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) remains a leading cause of mortality in Australia, disproportionately affecting underserved and priority populations such as Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, migrants and refugees, and those from socioeconomically disadvantaged backgrounds (Australian Bureau of Statistics 2019; Walsh and Kangaharan 2016). Despite well-established evidence on the benefits of cardiac rehabilitation (CR) in reducing recurring cardiac events, improving quality of life and lowering mortality, access to and participation in CR remains alarmingly low among these groups (Thompson et al. 2009). A significant contributor to this disparity is the lack of culturally tailored programmes that address the unique needs, preferences and lived experiences of the diverse populations (Bulto and Hendriks 2025).