A 4-week disease-management program significantly reduced total symptoms (p=0.01), symptom frequency (p=0.02), and bothersomeness (p=0.02) at 4 months compared to usual care.
RCT (n=570)
Randomly assigned
Does a 4-week disease-management program improve the symptom experience in older women with heart disease?
A 4-week disease-management program focusing on physical activity significantly improves symptom frequency and bothersomeness in older women with heart disease.
p-value: p=0.01
This study describes the symptom experience of 570 older women with heart disease and evaluates a disease-management program's impact on symptoms over time. Women were randomly assigned to either usual care or a 4-week program ("Women take PRIDE") designed to improve self-regulation skills by focusing on increasing physical activity. At 4 months follow-up, program women, compared to controls, reported fewer total symptoms (p = 0.01) and decreased symptom frequency (p = 0.02) and bothersomeness (p = 0.02). By 12 months, positive intervention effects emerged within the common cardiac and sleep and rest symptom categories. Program group women reported more improvements in symptoms likely to be affected by increasing physical activity at both follow-ups (p < 0.05).
Janz et al. (2000) conducted an RCT in Heart disease (n=570). Disease-management program ("Women take PRIDE") vs. Usual care was evaluated on Total symptoms (p=0.01). A 4-week disease-management program significantly reduced total symptoms (p=0.01), symptom frequency (p=0.02), and bothersomeness (p=0.02) at 4 months compared to usual care.