Multiple health-risk behavior in a chronic disease population: What behaviors do people choose to change?

John P. Allegrante, Janey C. Peterson, Carla Boutin-Foster, Gbenga Ogedegbe, Mary E. Charlson

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

Objective.: To determine what health behaviors patients choose to change in response to medical advice when they are given the potential net-present value (reduction in biological age) of modifying a behavior. Methods.: Baseline data for multiple health-risk behaviors that were recommended for change among 660 coronary angioplasty patients at the New York-Presbyterian Hospital-Weill-Cornell Medical Center who were enrolled during 2000-02 in one of two arms of a behavioral intervention trial designed to compare different approaches to communicating health risk (net-present vs. future value) were analyzed using multivariate statistical methods. Results.: Although there was no difference between study arms, knowing the biological-age value of behaviors, stage of change, and the total number of behaviors recommended for change was associated with choosing several behaviors. Notably, stage of change was associated in both groups with strength training (intervention OR 2.82, 95% CI 1.85, 4.30; comparison OR 2.84, 95% CI 1.83, 4.43, p < .0001) and reducing weight (intervention OR 2.49, 95% CI 1.32, 4.67, p = .005; comparison OR 1.98, 95% CI 1.80, 3.31, p = .01). Conclusion.: Patients with coronary disease are more likely to choose strength training and reducing weight regardless of knowing the biological-age reduction of any given behavior.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)247-251
Number of pages5
JournalPreventive Medicine
Volume46
Issue number3
DOIs
StatePublished - Mar 2008

Keywords

  • Angioplasty
  • Behavioral medicine
  • Behavioral research
  • Biological age
  • Cardiovascular risk reduction
  • Chronic disease
  • Health behavior
  • Health-risk appraisal
  • Intervention research
  • Multiple behavior change

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Epidemiology
  • Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health

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