The effect of a tailored message intervention on heart failure readmission rates, quality of life, and benefit and barrier beliefs in persons with heart failure.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of a tailored message intervention on heart failure readmission rates, quality of life, and health beliefs in persons with heart failure (HF).

Design: This randomized control trial provided a tailored message intervention during hospitalization and 1 week and 1 month after discharge.Theoretic framework The organizing framework was the Health Belief Model.

Subjects: Seventy persons with a primary diagnosis of chronic HF were included in the study.

Results: HF readmission rates and quality of life did not significantly differ between the treatment and control groups. Health beliefs, except for benefits of medications, significantly changed from baseline in the treatment group in directions posited by the Health Belief Model.

Conclusions: A tailored message intervention changed the beliefs of the person with HF in regard to the benefits and barriers of taking medications, following a sodium-restricted diet, and self-monitoring for signs of fluid overload. Future research is needed to explore the effect of health belief changes on actual self-care behaviors.