Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Telephone Counseling for Patients with Chronic Heart Failure: Results of an Evaluation Study

  • Published:
International Journal of Behavioral Medicine Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Background

The effectiveness of a secondary prevention program for patients suffering from chronic heart failure (CHF) was evaluated.

Purpose

The program aimed at improving participants’ perceived health and actual physical symptoms. Insurants of a German health insurance company participated in a telephone counseling program with four modules focusing on dietary habits, physical activity, fluid intake, and medication compliance.

Method

Multilevel analyses were conducted to analyze changes in health related outcome variables over time in N = 259 participants who completed the program in about 6 months.

Results

The results showed an improvement of perceived health status, physical symptoms, and somatic impairment. Furthermore, differential change was found when comparing “finishers” compared to “non-finishers” of specific modules indicating specific module effects.

Conclusion

The results are auspicious and, if sustained, are expected to bring about long-term health benefits for our study’s participants. The program proved to be applicable and well accepted in the sample of older, severely impaired CHF patients and effective in changing perceived health.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Statistisches Bundesamt. Todesursachen in Deutschland. Wiesbaden: Statistisches Bundesamt; 2007.

  2. Robert Koch-Institut. Gesundheit und Krankheit im Alter. Berlin: Robert Koch Institut; 2009.

  3. Douglas LM. Heart failure and corpulmonale. In: Fauci AS, Braunwald E, Kasper DL, et al., editors. Harrison’s principles of internal medicine. New York: McGraw-Hill; 2008.

  4. Neumann T, Biermann J, Neumann A, Wasem J, Ertl G, Dietz R, et al. Herzinsuffizienz: Häufigster Grund für Krankenhausaufenthalte. Deutsches Ärzteblatt. 2009;106(16):269–75.

    Google Scholar 

  5. Forster T. Krankheitskostenrechnung für Deutschland Statistisches Bundesamt: Wirtschaft und Statistik 2004.

  6. Lloyd-Jones D, Adams RJ, Brown TM, Carnethon M, Dai S, De Simone G, et al. Heart disease and stroke statistics—2010 update: a report from the American Heart Association. Circulation. 2010;121(7):e46–215.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  7. Lagger G, Pataky Z, Golay A. Efficacy of therapeutic patient education in chronic diseases and obesity. Patient Educ Couns. 2010;79(3):283–6.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  8. Cook PF, Emiliozzi S, El-Hajj D, McCabe MM. Telephone nurse counseling for medication adherence in ulcerative colitis: a preliminary study. Patient Educ Couns. 2010;81(2):182–6.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  9. Cook PF, McCabe MM, Emiliozzi S, Pointer L. Telephone nurse counseling improves HIV medication adherence: an effectiveness study. J Assoc Nurses AIDS Care. 2009;20(4):316–25.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  10. Madlensky L, Natarajan L, Flatt SW, Faerber S, Newman VA, Pierce JP. Timing of dietary change in response to a telephone counseling intervention: evidence from the WHEL study. Health Psychol. 2008;27(5):539–47.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  11. Buhrman M, Fältenhag S, Ström L, Andersson G. Controlled trial of Internet-based treatment with telephone support for chronic back pain. Pain. 2004;111(3):368–77.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  12. Wong KW, Wong FKY, Chan MF. Effects of nurse-initiated telephone follow-up on self-efficacy among patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. J Adv Nurs. 2005;49(2):210–22.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  13. World Health Organization. Avoiding heart attacks and strokes: don’t be a victim—protect yourself. Geneva: World Health Organization; 2005.

  14. Feist GJ, Bodner TE, Jacobs JF, Miles M, Tan V. Integrating top-down and bottom-up structural models of subjective well-being: A longitudinal investigation. J Pers Soc Psychol. 1995;68(1):138–50.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  15. Murberg TA, Bru E, Svebak S, Aarsland TR, Dickstein K. The role of objective health indicators and neuroticism in perceived health and psychological well-being among patients with chronic heart failure. Pers Indiv Differ. 1997;22(6):867–75.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  16. Satyanarayana S, Enns MW, Cox BJ, Sareen J. Prevalance and correlates of chronic depression in the Canadian Community Health Survey: mental health and well-being. Can J Psychiatry. 2009;54(6):389–98.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  17. Xu J, Roberts RE. The power of positive emotions: it’s a matter of life or death: Subjective well-being and longevity over 28 years in a general population. Health Psychol. 2010;29(1):9–19.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  18. Diener E, Ryan K. Subjective well-being: a general overview. S Afr J Psychol. 2009;39(4):391–406.

    Google Scholar 

  19. Schwarzer R (ed) Self-efficacy in the adoption and maintenance of health behaviors: theoretical approaches and a new model. London: Hemisphere Publishing Corporation; 1992. p. 217–243.

  20. Sniehotta FF, Scholz U, Schwarzer R. Bridging the intention-behaviour gap: planning, self-efficacy, and action control in the adoption and maintenance of physical exercise. Psychol Health. 2005;20(2):143–60.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  21. Arnold R, Ranchor AV, DeJongste MJL, Köeter GH, Hacken NHTT, Aalbers R, et al. The relationship between self-efficacy and self-reported physical functioning in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and chronic heart failure. Behav Med. 2005;31(3):107–14.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  22. Schwarzer R, Renner B. Social-cognitive predictors of health behavior: action self-efficacy and coping self-efficacy. Health Psychol. 2000;19(5):487–95.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  23. Brodie DA, Inoue A, Shaw DG. Motivational interviewing to change quality of life for people with chronic heart failure: a randomised controlled trial. Int J Nurs Stud. 2008;45(4):489–500.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  24. Riegel B, Dickson VV, Hoke L, McMahon JP, Reis BF, Sayers S. A motivational counseling approach to improving heart failure self-care: mechanisms of effectiveness. J Cardiovasc Nurs. 2006;21(3):232–41.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  25. Serrano E, Leiferman J, Dauber S. Self-efficacy and health behaviors toward the prevention of diabetes among high risk individuals living in Appalachia. J Commun Health. 2007;32(2):121–33.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  26. Techniker Krankenkasse. TK-Gesundheitscoach: Schulungshandbuch. Hamburg Techniker Krankenkasse; 2008.

  27. Bjarnason-Wehrens B. Leitlinie körperliche Aktivität zur Sekundärprävention und Therapie kardiovaskulärer Erkrankungen. 2009. p. 1–44.

  28. Gonseth J, Guallar-Castillon P, Banegas JR, Rodriguez-Artalejo F. The effectiveness of disease management programmes in reducing hospital re-admission in older patients with heart failure: a systematic review and meta-analysis of published reports. Eur Heart J. 2004;25:1570–95.

    Google Scholar 

  29. Hanumanthu S. Effect of a heart failure program on hospitalization frequency and exercise tolerance. Circulation. 1997;96(9):2842–8.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  30. Stewart S, Horowitz JD. Home-based intervention in congestive heart failure: long-term implications on readmission and survival. Circulation. 2002;105:2861–6.

    Google Scholar 

  31. West JA. A comprehensive management system for heart failure improves clinical outcomes and reduces medical resource utilization. Am J Cardiol. 1997;79(1):58–63.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  32. Krauss RM, Eckel RH, Howard B, Appel LJ, Daniels SR, Deckelbaum RJ, et al. AHA Dietary guidelines: revision 2000: a statement for healthcare professionals from the Nutrition Committee of the American Heart Association. Circulation. 2000;102:2751–66.

    Google Scholar 

  33. Techniker Krankenkasse. Besser leben mit Herzinsuffizienz. Hamburg Techniker Krankenkasse; 2008.

  34. Hoppe UC, Erdmann E. Leitlinien zur Therapie der chronischen Herzinsuffizienz. Zeitschrift für Kardiologie. 2001;90(3):218–37.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  35. Holst M, Stromberg A, Lindholm M, Willenheimer R. Description of self-reported fluid intake and its effects on body weight, symptoms, quality of life and physical capacity in patients with stable chronic heart failure. J Clin Nurs. 2008;17(17):2318–26.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  36. Osterberg L, Blaschke T. Drug therapy: adherence to medication. New Engl J Med. 2005;353(5):487–97.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  37. Simpson SH, Eurich DT, Majumdar SR, Padwal RS, Tsuyuki RT, Varney J, et al. A meta-analysis of the association between adherence to drug therapy and mortality. BMJ. 2006;333(7557):15.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  38. The Criteria Committee of the New York Heart Association. Nomenclature and criteria for diagnosis of diseases of the heart and great vessels. Boston: Little, Brown & Co; 1994.

  39. Faller H, Steinbüchel T, Schowalter M, Spertus JA, Störk S, Angermann CE. Der Kansas City Cardiomyopathy Questionnaire (KCCQ)-Ein neues krankheitsspezifisches Messinstrument zur Erfassung der Lebensqualität bei chronischer Herzinsuffizienz: Psychometrische Prüfung der deutschen Version. Psychotherapie Psychosomatik Medizinische Psychologie. 2005;55(3–4):200–8.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  40. Snijders TAB, Bosker RJ. Multilevel analysis: an introduction to basic and advanced multilevel modeling: Thousand Oaks: Sage; 1999.

  41. Enders CK, Tofighi D. Centering predictor variables in cross-sectional multilevel models: a new look at an old issue. Psychol Methods. 2007;12(2):121–38.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  42. Kreft IGG, De Leeuw J, Aiken LS. The effect of different forms of centering in hierarchical linear models. Multivar Behav Res. 1995;30(1):1–21.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  43. Raudenbush, Bryk, Congdon. HLM Version 6.03: Hierarchical linear and nonlinear modeling [Computer software]. Lincolnwood: Scientific Software International; 2005.

  44. Penedo FJ, Dahn JR. Exercise and well-being: a review of mental and physical health benefits associated with physical activity. Curr Opin Psychiatry. 2005;18(2):189–93.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

The authors gratefully acknowledge Melanie Erzberger, Birgit Thiedemann, Martin Moschner, and Christian Pieper (Versorgungsmanagement Versicherte, Techniker Krankenkasse, Hamburg) for data provision and collaboration. The study was supported by the Techniker Krankenkasse, Hamburg, Germany. The authors would like to thank Ginger Lockhart for providing helpful comments and for checking on the English language.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Klinische Psychologie und Psychotherapie, Freie Universität Berlin, Habelschwerdter Allee 45, 14195, Berlin, Germany

    Sylvia Böhme, Thomas Mühlenhoff, Jana Holtmann & Babette Renneberg

  2. Department of Psychology, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, Arizona State University, PO Box 871104, 950 S. McAllister Ave, Tempe, AZ, 85287-1104, USA

    Christian Geiser

Authors
  1. Sylvia Böhme
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Christian Geiser
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Thomas Mühlenhoff
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Jana Holtmann
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Babette Renneberg
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Sylvia Böhme.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Böhme, S., Geiser, C., Mühlenhoff, T. et al. Telephone Counseling for Patients with Chronic Heart Failure: Results of an Evaluation Study. Int.J. Behav. Med. 19, 288–297 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12529-011-9179-0

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12529-011-9179-0

Keywords

Search

Navigation