Presented by: Katherine Menson, DO; Diann Gaalema, PhD; Gabriela L Melo Ghisi, BSc PT, MSc, PhD, CRFC, FAACVPR
Disclosures: None

1.0 CEUs: AACVPR, AMA, CDR, ANCC, AARC, ACSM

Description: Attendance at pulmonary and cardiac rehabilitation is known to differ by sex with females being less likely to attend. Outcomes are also discordant, as female sex is associated with higher depression scores, lower fitness, and fewer sessions attended in both PR and CR. In CR, female sex is also associated with less improvement in 6MWD, METs, and depression scores. This session, recorded at the 2026 Annual Meeting, will end with practical applications programs can apply for female-specific approaches to program management.

Learning Objectives:
1. Describe female-related differences in attendance and outcomes in pulmonary and cardiac rehabilitation, including disparities in depression, fitness, and session completion.
2. Interpret how female sex is associated with differential clinical outcomes in PR and CR (e.g., 6MWD, METs, depression scores) and discuss potential contributing factors.
3. Apply evidence-informed, female-specific strategies to pulmonary and cardiac rehabilitation program design and management to improve attendance, engagement, and outcomes.