Key result
Remote 12-week self-care program improves CVD risk reduction adherence vs usual care in rural caregivers.
Why the study?
Informal caregivers, especially in rural environments, face elevated cardiovascular disease risk and depressive symptoms while neglecting their own health, prompting evaluation of a remotely delivered self-care risk-reduction intervention.
Does a remotely delivered self-care CVD risk reduction intervention improve adherence to CVD risk reduction behaviors in rural informal caregivers at CVD risk?
RCT (n=311)
randomized
Does a remotely delivered self-care CVD risk reduction intervention improve adherence to CVD risk reduction behaviors in rural informal caregivers at CVD risk?
A remotely delivered 12-week self-care intervention significantly improves and sustains adherence to cardiovascular disease risk reduction behaviors in rural informal caregivers.
Answers are grounded in this paper and cite their sources.
Remote programs boost adherence to CVD risk reduction in rural caregivers; extends self-care interventions to informal caregiver populations.
Background Informal caregivers are at higher risk for cardiovascular disease (CVD) than non-caregivers. This risk is substantially higher among caregivers living in rural environments. Yet caregivers, particularly rural caregivers, are usually "hidden patients" in a caregiver-patient dyad as they commonly ignore their own health. Additionally, caregivers have higher levels of depressive symptoms than non-caregivers that interfere with CVD risk reduction. We developed a remotely delivered CVD-risk reduction intervention (RICHH) that promoted self-care in the context of the demands of caregiving, including depressive symptoms. Our aim was to test the impact of RICHH on adherence to CVD risk reduction behaviors. Methods Rural informal caregivers (N=311; 76% female, age=55±14 years) at CVD risk were randomized to intervention or usual care groups. The intervention group completed a 12-week self-care CVD risk reduction intervention using video conferencing. In addition to CVD risk reduction, the intervention included components to manage depressive symptoms. Outcomes were assessed at 4 and 12 months. Adherence to CVD risk reduction behaviors was assessed using the Medical Outcome Scale-CVD Specific Adherence Scale, and depressive symptoms using the Patient Health Questionnaire-9. Piecewise linear mixed-effect modeling was used to determine intervention effects and potential moderation by depressive symptoms. Results Compared to the usual care group, adherence to CVD risk reduction behaviors increased in the intervention group at 4 months (b = 2.02, p < 0.001), and the improvement was maintained at 12 months (b = 4.17, p < 0.001; Figure). Depressive symptoms did not moderate the impact of the intervention. Conclusion Sustained CVD risk reduction in rural informal caregivers is possible using remote self-care interventions and interference by depressive symptoms is mitigated by an appropriately designed intervention.
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Moser et al. (2026) conducted an RCT in Cardiovascular disease risk in informal caregivers (n=311). Remotely delivered self-care CVD risk reduction intervention (RICHH) vs. Usual care was evaluated on Adherence to CVD risk reduction behaviors (b = 2.02, p=< 0.001). A remotely delivered 12-week self-care intervention increased adherence to cardiovascular disease risk reduction behaviors in rural informal caregivers at 4 months.
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