Heart-to-Heart: Promoting walking in rural women through motivational interviewing and group support

Cindy K. Perry, Anne G. Rosenfeld, Jill A. Bennett, Kathleen Potempa

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

39 Scopus citations

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Walking can significantly increase cardiorespiratory fitness and thereby reduce the incidence of heart disease in women. However, there is a paucity of research aimed at increasing walking in rural women, a high-risk group for heart disease and one for which exercise strategies may pose particular challenges. PURPOSE: This study tested Heart-to-Heart (HTH), a 12-week walking program, designed to increase fitness through walking in rural women. Heart-to-Heart integrated individual-oriented strategies, including motivational interviewing, and group-based strategies, including team building. METHODS: Forty-six rural women were randomized to either HTH or a comparison group. The primary outcome of cardiorespiratory fitness and secondary outcomes of self-efficacy and social support were measured preintervention and postintervention. Group differences were analyzed with repeated-measures analysis of variance. RESULTS: Women in HTH group had a greater improvement in cardiorespiratory fitness (P =.057) and in social support (P =.004) compared with women in the comparison group. Neither group of women experienced a change in exercise self-efficacy (P =.814). CONCLUSIONS: HTH was effective in improving cardiorespiratory fitness in a sample of rural women. Further research is needed to refine HTH and determine the optimal approach in rural women to increase their walking.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)304-312
Number of pages9
JournalJournal of Cardiovascular Nursing
Volume22
Issue number4
DOIs
StatePublished - Jul 2007

Keywords

  • Exercise
  • Heart disease
  • Motivational interviewing
  • Prevention
  • Rural women

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Cardiology and Cardiovascular Medicine
  • Advanced and Specialized Nursing

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