Motivational interviewing to change quality of life for people with chronic heart failure: a randomised controlled trial

Background Patients with chronic heart failure have a reduced quality of life due in part to their limited range of physical activity and independence. Objectives The paper examines whether a physical activity ‘lifestyle’ intervention, based on motivational interviewing, will improve quality of life at five months from baseline, compared with conventional treatment. Methods Sixty older patients with chronic heart failure were randomly assigned to either a ‘standard care’, ‘motivational interviewing’ or ‘both’ treatment groups for five months in 2002. The primary outcome measures were the Medical Outcomes Short Form-36 Health Survey, the disease-specific Minnesota Living with Heart Failure questionnaire and the Motivation Readiness for Physical Activity scale. Results There were non-significant differences between the groups at baseline for age, coronary risk factors, severity of chronic heart failure, ejection fraction, specific laboratory tests, length of hospitalisation, medication and social support. Following treatment there was a significant increase (p