Factors Associated with Physical Activity among Cardiovascular Patients in North Sulawesi: A Cross-Sectional Study

Background: Physical activity (PA) is a cornerstone of cardiovascular disease (CVD) management and is associated with improved cardiovascular outcomes. However, many cardiovascular patients remain insufficiently active. This study aimed to identify demographic and clinical factors associated with PA among cardiovascular patients in North Sulawesi, Indonesia. Methods: This descriptive correlational study employed a cross-sectional design. Convenience sampling was used to recruit 50 cardiovascular patients from a tertiary hospital in North Sulawesi, Indonesia. PA was assessed using the International Physical Activity Questionnaire-Short Form (IPAQ-SF) and expressed as metabolic equivalent task minutes per week (MET-min/week). Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, the Mann–Whitney U test, and Spearman’s rank correlation. Result: The largest proportion of participants had a moderate level of PA (40.0%). Place of living (p = 0.032) and regular exercise habits (p = 0.049) were significantly associated with PA. Participants living in urban areas and those engaging in regular exercise reported higher PA levels. Age (r = 0.300, p = 0.034), body mass index (BMI) (r = 0.315, p = 0.026), and systolic blood pressure (BP) (r = 0.394, p = 0.005) were positively correlated with PA. Conclusion: In this sample of cardiovascular patients, PA was associated with place of living, regular exercise habits, age, BMI, and systolic BP. These findings suggest that behavioral, environmental, and clinical characteristics may be relevant to PA participation. However, causal relationships cannot be inferred due to the cross-sectional design. The findings should also be interpreted cautiously given the small sample size and single-hospital setting.