Effects of vocational rehabilitation on the employment status of young, middle-aged patients with coronary heart disease based on society ecosystems theory: a study protocol for a randomized controlled trial

BACKGROUND: Coronary heart disease (CHD) is increasingly prevalent among younger populations. Many young and middle-aged CHD patients hope to return to work as soon as possible to alleviate the financial burden on their families and reduce medical expenses, but their employment status remains suboptimal. Vocational rehabilitation has been proven to help overcome work-related barriers and promote employment, yet there is limited research on this topic among CHD patients in China. METHODS: This is a single-center, randomized controlled trial. Two hundred sixty-two eligible participants will be gathered, and they will be divided into 1:1 control and intervention groups. The control group will receive routine nursing measures, and the intervention will undergo vocational rehabilitation for 3 months. Data will be collected at enrolment and end of the intervention. The main outcome is return-to-work rate; secondary outcomes are return-to-work self-efficacy, quality of life and anxiety. All participants will be included in the analysis in accordance with the intention-to-treat principle. DISCUSSION: The findings of this study will facilitate the early return to work for employable-age patients with CHD, thereby enhancing their quality of life, alleviating anxiety and mitigating financial stress. Additionally, these findings may have broader implications for the management and rehabilitation of other chronic diseases. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Chinese Clinical Trials Registry ( https://www.chictr.org.cn/ ), ChiCTR2400087359. Manuscript Version: 1.0, Registered on 25 July 2024.