Improving Physical Activity for Hypertensive Patients: A Trans-theoretical model-based Intervention

Aim: Hypertension (HTN) is considered to be the most important modifiable risk factor for cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. Although lifestyle modifications such as increase in physical activity (PA) are effective for lowering blood pressure (BP), it can often be difficult for hypertensive (HTN) individuals to modify their lifestyle and maintain such modification. So this study aimed at assessing the effectiveness of trans-theoretical model (TTM)-based intervention on PA in HTN patients. Methods: This randomized controlled trial was conducted on 78 hypertensive patients (39 in the experimental group (EG) and 39 in the control group (CG)) from January 2015 to September 2015 in the city of Shiraz in southern Iran. The EG received TTM-based intervention about PA for four weeks. The study outcomes included PA stages of change, processes of change, exercise self-efficacy (ESE), decisional balance and PA, which were measured at the onset and at one week post-intervention. The data were analyzed using SPSS 16 software. Findings: At one week post-intervention, PA increased significantly in the EG (1218.35±917.95) compared to the CG (810.28±785.21) (p=0.04). A significantly larger percentage of the EG (80.6%, n= 25) progressed to the stage of action compared with the CG (16.1%, n=5). Also one week post-intervention, the EG demonstrated higher ESE (p=0.004), higher decisional balance (p<0.001), and greater process of change (p=0.001) compared with the CG. Conclusion: The present study showed that the TTM-based intervention effectively increased PA. So the use of TTM-based interventions can be effective in increasing the commitment to PA in HTN patients.