Secondary prevention of coronary heart disease: The effect of a nursing intervention using Cox's interaction model of client health behaviour

Abstract Aims Secondary prevention of coronary heart disease is of utmost importance to facilitate people to achieve health outcomes and behaviours. This study was to investigate the effect of a nursing intervention based on Cox's interaction model of client health behaviour to improve health outcomes and behaviours of secondary prevention of coronary heart disease. Design This study is a cluster randomised controlled trial. Methods Participants were recruited between August and November 2019 in two community settings in Hengyang city, Hunan province, China. Participants in the intervention group received a nursing intervention based on Cox's interaction model of client health behaviour and routine health education, while those in the control group received routine health education only. The outcome variables included self‐management, physical activity, medication compliance, anxiety, sexual knowledge, the ability to identify sexual health education needs, blood pressure, body mass index (BMI), and low‐density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL‐C). The influential statistical tests applied to analyse the data included χ 2 tests and t tests. Results Seventy‐seven participants completed this study. Compared with the control group ( n = 40), the intervention group ( n = 37) showed statistically significant better health outcomes and behaviours regarding self‐management, physical activity (except for high energy consumption), medication compliance, anxiety, sexual knowledge, the ability to identify sexual health education needs, systolic blood pressure, BMI, and LDL‐C. However, there was no statistically significant difference in diastolic blood pressure and high energy consumption for physical activity. Conclusion A well‐developed nursing intervention based on Cox's interaction model of client health behaviour could successfully improve health outcomes and behaviours of secondary prevention of coronary heart disease. Such an intervention may be incorporated into community healthcare practice by nurses to improve patient care. Impact This study provides a valuable insight to facilitate further development of effective nursing interventions to improve secondary prevention of coronary heart disease in community settings.