| Abstrakt: |
Heart failure (HF) is a significant health problem among the elderly often requiring multiple lifestyle changes for optimal management. Unfortunately, not all patients are ready to make the needed changes. The objective of this study was to evaluate psychometric properties of a readiness to change (RTC) questionnaire. Outpatient (N = 116) Veterans with heart failure who agreed to participate in a 4-month interdisciplinary behavioral management intervention were included for this study. Principal components analysis suggested a 6-factor structure, which generally corresponded to stage of change theoretical stages (i.e., precontemplation, contemplation, preparation, action, and maintenance). One additional factor, resistance, was identified. Internal consistency ranged from high (i.e., precontemplation, action, maintenance) to low (i.e., contemplation, preparation). The adapted RTC measure shows some promise, but requires revision to distinguish factors more clearly. Additional development in new and more representative samples should be conducted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
