title: The effects of interpersonal counselling on health-related quality of life after myocardial infarction.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the effects of interpersonal counselling on health-related quality of life after myocardial infarction.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  Depression is a risk factor for poor health-related quality of life after myocardial infarction. Interpersonal counselling seems to reduce depressive symptoms and distress after myocardial infarction.
  
  
  METHODS
  Myocardial infarction patients (n=103) were randomised into an intervention group (n=51) with 1-6 (mean 4·6) interpersonal counselling-sessions focusing on managing depressive symptoms and a control group (n=52). Health-related quality of life after myocardial infarction was measured with EuroQol-5D (EQ-5D) in hospital, at six and 18 months after discharge.
  
  
  RESULTS
  No differences in the changes of health-related quality of life were found between the groups during follow-up. However, health-related quality of life improved significantly in the intervention group. In the group of patients under 60 years, the effect of interpersonal counselling was significant in the intervention group compared with the control group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Interpersonal counselling does not seem to improve health-related quality of life better than standard care after myocardial infarction in general, but it does seem to be beneficial with younger myocardial infarction patients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  There is a need to study the effects of interpersonal counselling further with younger myocardial infarction patients and to develop the intervention further, before using it systematically as part of nursing practice.
authors.affiliation: Department of Nursing Science and Psychiatric Clinic, University of Turku, Turku University Hospital, Finland. olpeor@saunalahti.fi
authors.forename: Olli
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Oranta
authors.forename: Sinikka
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Luutonen
authors.forename: Raimo K R
authors.initials: RK
authors.lastname: Salokangas
authors.forename: Tero
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Vahlberg
authors.forename: Helena
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Leino-Kilpi
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003376:Counseling; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007400:Interprofessional Relations; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000503:physiopathology*; D011788:Quality of Life