The effect of a text message and telephone follow-up program on cardiac self-efficacy of patients with coronary artery disease: A randomized controlled trial

BACKGROUND Cardiac self-efficacy is an essential factor in persistence of healthy behaviors in patients with coronary artery disease (CAD). Today, telenursing methods have numerous applications in health care. Therefore, this study aimed to determine the effect of a text message and telephone follow-up program on cardiac self-efficacy of patients with CAD. MATERIALS AND METHODS This was a randomized controlled trial on 70 patients with CAD who were hospitalized in Shahid Chamran Hospital (Isfahan, Iran). The participants were randomly assigned to the experimental and control groups. Collection of data on cardiac self-efficacy was performed before, 3 months after, and 4 months after the beginning of the intervention using Cardiac Self-Efficacy Scale designed by Sullivan et al. During the 3 months of intervention, six messages were sent to the subjects each week and calls were made twice a week in the first month and once a week during the second and third months. The statistical analysis of data was performed using independent t-test, Chi-square, Mann-Whitney U test, and repeated measures analysis of variance (ANOVA). RESULTS Before the intervention, there was no significant difference between the mean scores of cardiac self-efficacy of the two groups. However, 3 months and 4 months after the beginning of the intervention, the mean score of cardiac self-efficacy in the experimental group was significantly higher than in the control group (P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS The text message and telephone follow-up program is effective in promoting the cardiac self-efficacy of patients with CAD.