Behavioral and psychosocial effects of intensive lifestyle management for women with coronary heart disease

Patient Educ Couns. 1998 Nov;35(3):177-88. doi: 10.1016/s0738-3991(98)00074-3.

Abstract

Females, especially older women, historically have been excluded from coronary heart disease (CHD) studies. The PrimeTime program was a randomized clinical trial designed to study the effects of a comprehensive lifestyle management program (very low-fat vegetarian diet, smoking cessation, stress-management training, moderate exercise, and group support) on changes in behavioral risk factors among postmenopausal women with CHD. The study also explored program effects on four psychosocial clusters: coping with stress, distress, social support, and self-efficacy. The program produced significant behavioral improvements in 4- and 12-months adherence to diet, physical activity, and stress-management in the PrimeTime women compared to the Usual Care (UC) group. In addition, the PrimeTime participants demonstrated improvements relative to UC on psychosocial measures of self-efficacy, perceived social support, and ability to cope with stress. Strengths and weaknesses of the study, and implications for future research are discussed.

Publication types

  • Clinical Trial
  • Randomized Controlled Trial
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Adaptation, Psychological
  • Aged
  • Coronary Disease / psychology*
  • Coronary Disease / therapy*
  • Disease Management*
  • Female
  • Health Promotion / methods*
  • Humans
  • Life Style*
  • Middle Aged
  • Postmenopause
  • Program Evaluation
  • Self Care / methods*
  • Self Efficacy
  • Social Support
  • Women's Health