Impact of a home communication intervention for coronary artery bypass graft patients with ischemic heart failure on self-efficacy, coronary disease risk-factor modification, and functioning

Objective: The purpose of this study is to determine the impact of a home communication intervention (HCI) for ischemic heart failure Coronary Artery Bypass Graft (CABG) patients greater than or equal to65 years of age on self-efficacy, coronary artery disease risk factor modification and functioning posthospitalization. Design: A randomized clinical trial with repeated measures was used. Sample: A subsample of ischemic heart failure CABG surgery patients (n=35) was drawn from the parent study of 180 CABG patients. Results: HCI participants (n=18) had significantly higher adjusted. mean self-efficacy scores [F(1, 29)=6.40, P<.05] and adjusted mean levels of functioning (physical, general health, mental, and vitality functioning) compared with the routine care group (n=17), using repeated measures analysis of covariance with baseline scores as covariates. There were also significant. effects of time on bodily pain and role emotional functioning. Significantly higher exercise adherence (t=3.09, P<.01) and lower reported stress (t=3.77, P<.01) at 3 months after surgery was reported by HCI subjects. Conclusions: Data from this pilot study can be used to strengthen the HCI intervention with more tailored strategies for vulnerable subgroups of CABG patients.