The effect of education through motivational interviewing compared with conventional education on self-care behaviors in heart failure patients with depression

Abstract

Objective: To determine the effect of education based on motivational interviewing on self-care behaviors in heart failure patients with depression.

Methods: In this study, 82 patients suffering from heart failure whose depression had been confirmed were selected and divided into two groups. The Self-Care Heart Failure Index was utilized to evaluate self-care behavior. The intervention group received four sessions of self-care behavior education based on the principles of motivational interviewing, and the control group received four sessions of conventional education on self-care behavior. At 8 weeks after finishing the interventions, the self-care behaviors of both groups were evaluated. Data were analyzed using paired and independent t-tests, Chi-square, and analysis of covariance, as appropriate.

Results: The average increase in the overall scores and the scores on the three sub-scales of self-care behavior (maintenance, management, and confidence) of the heart failure patients with depression were significantly higher after education based on motivational interviewing than after conventional self-care education (p<0.05).

Conclusions: Motivational interviewing had a significant positive effect on self-care behaviors in patients with heart failure and depression.

Practice implications: Due to the effectiveness of the MI, using motivational interviewing for education in depressed HF patients is recommended.

Keywords: Depression; Education; Heart failure; Motivational interviewing; Self-care behaviors.