Impact of telephone reinforcement of risk reduction education on patient compliance

Smoking and hyperlipidemia are key risk factors resulting in peripheral arterial disease. These risk factors can be reduced when appropriate lifestyle changes are made, especially for patients less than 60 years of age. Therefore patient education regarding smoking cessation and healthy diet changes may positively impact the course of disease. The ability to make a lifestyle change is affected by (1) an individual's belief that his or her behavior affects the condition and (2) the social support received from family, especially a primary caregiver. This pilot study compared two randomized groups of patients with peripheral arterial disease for a 1-year period. The control group received the standardized teaching plan regarding smoking cessation and diet at the postoperative clinic visit. The experimental group received the standardized teaching plan in addition to quarterly telephone calls to reinforce smoking cessation and diet information. At the end of 1 year, both groups received follow-up telephone calls at the conclusion of the study for endpoint data collection. Specifically, this project investigated the following research statements: (1) Patients who receive periodic telephone follow-up will have greater compliance with the recommendations regarding smoking and diet than those who do not receive follow-up. (2) Patients whose caregivers are compliant with the recommendations regarding smoking cessation and diet will have significantly higher compliance themselves. The data were analyzed by using cross tabulation, sign test, and McNemar's test for nonparametric data to measure mobility, overall perception of health, knowledge of risk reduction information, and compliance with the smoking cessation and low fat/cholesterol diet plan. The results of this pilot study revealed no significant differences between the control and experimental groups. Telephone reinforcement was not sufficient in this study to influence lifestyle change. However, standardized teaching improved diet scores in both groups. Differences were found between smokers and nonsmokers.