The relationship between patients’ memory and readiness to change health behaviour in cardiac rehabilitation

Abstract

Background: The short-term memory is linked with unhealthy behaviour changes (Blume, Schmaling, Marlatt, 2005). Nevertheless, memory interfaces with the intent to change unhealthy behavior is rarely investigated. The purpose of this study was to assess the link between cardiac patients’ memory and variation of readiness to change their health behaviour before and after rehabilitation. Methods: 304 cardiac rehabilitation patients participated in a two wave panel experiment. The experimental group (N=157) had a regular cardiac rehabilitation program including psychological counselling based on motivational interviewing, seeking to change unhealthy behaviour. The control group (N=147) had regular cardiac rehabilitation. Short version of Intelligence Structure Test was used to assess Short Memory, consisting from Verbal and Visual Memory. ‘Readiness to Change Questionnaire’ was used to measure patients’ readiness to change alcohol consumption, smoking, physical inactivity and unhealthy diet. Findings: T-test showed no statistically significant differences between the groups comparing patients’ short memory (p=0.534) consisting from verbal (p=0.574) and visual memory (p=0.628). Experimental group patients’ memory did not differ according to readiness to change alcohol consumption, smoking and diet (p>0.05) but short verbal memory (p=0.048) was lower for those patients whose readiness to change physical activity increased after intervention. Control group patients’ memory did not differ according to readiness to change alcohol consumption, smoking, physical activity nor diet. Discussion: Short-term memory isn’t significant factor for changing unhealthy behaviour during psychological counselling based on motivational interviewing. Patients’ with a better short-term verbal memory readiness to change physical activity decreased after intervention. Further academic insights are required.