THURSDAY, June 23 (HealthDay News) -- Motivational interviewing (MI) is associated with improved mood and reduced mortality in post-stroke patients, according to a study published online June 23 in Stroke.
Caroline L. Watkins, Ph.D., from the University of Central Lancashire in Preston, U.K., and colleagues investigated whether motivational interviewing benefits mood and mortality of patients after a stroke. A total of 394 patients on the stroke register who were not receiving psychiatric or clinical psychology intervention, and who were without severe cognitive or communication problems, received usual post-stroke care. In addition, 199 of the patients received four individual weekly sessions of MI as part of the intervention group. Mailed questionnaires at 12 months post-stroke were used to assess the proportion of patients with normal mood as measured by the General Health Questionnaire (normal, <5; low, ≥5).
The investigators found that 37.7 percent of the patients in the control group and 48.0 percent of the patients in the intervention group had normal mood at follow-up. Motivational interviewing had a significant benefit on mood (odds ratio, [OR] 1.66) and mortality (OR, 2.14) compared to usual stroke care. There were 25 deaths in the control group and 13 deaths in the intervention group.
"Results suggest that motivational interviewing improves patients' mood and reduces mortality 12 months post-stroke," the authors write.
Abstract
Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)
