Randomised controlled trial of a pedometer-based telephone intervention to increase physical activity among cardiac patients not attending cardiac rehabilitation.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the effectiveness of a pedometer-based telephone intervention on the physical activity levels of cardiac patients who did not attend a CRP.


METHODS
A randomised controlled trial was conducted with 215 patients referred to a CRP but who could not or chose not to attend. The 6-week intervention included self-monitoring of physical activity using a pedometer and step calendar; and behavioural counselling and goal setting sessions. Data were collected at baseline, 6 weeks and 6 months.


RESULTS
Study groups did not differ significantly at baseline. After 6 weeks, improvements in total physical activity time (p=0.027), total physical activity sessions (p=0.003), walking time (p=0.013) and walking sessions (p=0.002) in the intervention group were significantly greater than the control group after adjusting for baseline differences, and remained significant at 6 months.


CONCLUSIONS
The findings that the pedometer-based telephone intervention was successful in increasing physical activity levels in cardiac patients who did not attend a CRP could result in major health benefits for this group of people.


CONCLUSIONS
The pedometer-based telephone intervention could be offered as an effective and accessible option for patients not attending a CRP to increase and maintain their physical activity levels after hospitalisation.
Furber
Susan
S
South Eastern Sydney and Illawarra Area Health Service, NSW, Australia. susan.furber@sesiahs.health.nsw.gov.au
Butler
Lyra
L
Phongsavan
Philayrath
P
Mark
Andrew
A
Bauman
Adrian
A
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001315:Australia; D000072038:Cardiac Rehabilitation; D003376:Counseling; D005260:Female; D006293:Health Promotion / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018670:Monitoring, Ambulatory / Q000295:instrumentation*; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000502:physiology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013689:Telephone; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D016138:Walking