title: Effects of a brief intervention on retention of patients in a cardiac rehabilitation program.
abstract: This intervention assessed the effects of a brief intervention on dropout rate in a cardiac rehabilitation program. One hundred thirty five patients were recruited from a cardiac rehabilitation program and randomized to either a control or intervention group. The intervention group participated in four sessions of motivational interviewing and stress management-relaxation in addition to standard cardiac rehabilitation. The control group underwent cardiac rehabilitation alone. Patients who completed the intervention completed an average of 30 sessions while those who dropped out of the intervention completed about six (p < 0.001). Anxiety and depression measured at baseline were the primary predictors of dropout. Patients in both the intervention and controls groups who completed cardiac rehabilitation improved the distance walked, quality of life and decreased anxiety.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, The University of Toledo Health Science Campus, Toledo, OH, USA, angele.mcgrady@utoledo.edu.
authors.forename: Angele
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: McGrady
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Burkes
authors.forename: Dalynn
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Badenhop
authors.forename: Ron
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: McGinnis
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001007:Anxiety / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy; D003863:Depression / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006331:Heart Diseases / Q000523:psychology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D062405:Motivational Interviewing / Q000379:methods*; D010349:Patient Compliance / Q000523:psychology*; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology; D012064:Relaxation Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D016138:Walking / Q000523:psychology; D055815:Young Adult