Predictors of Health Behavior Change After an Integrative Medicine Inpatient Program.

BACKGROUND:
Health behavior change can improve physical and psychosocial outcomes in internal medicine patients.
PURPOSE:
This study aims to identify predictors for health behavior change after an integrative medicine inpatient program.
METHOD:
German internal medicine patients' (N = 2,486; 80 % female; 53.9 ± 14.3 years) practice frequency for aerobic exercise (e.g., walking, running, cycling, swimming), meditative movement therapies (e.g., yoga, tai ji, qigong), and relaxation techniques (e.g., progressive relaxation, mindfulness meditation, breathing exercises, guided imagery) was assessed at admission to a 14-day integrative medicine inpatient program, and 3, 6, and 12 months after discharge. Health behavior change was regressed to exercise self-efficacy, stage of change, and health locus of control (internal, external-social, external-fatalistic).
RESULTS:
Short-term increases in practice frequency were found for aerobic exercise: short- and long-term increases for meditative movement therapies and relaxation techniques (all p < 0.01). After controlling for sociodemographic characteristics, clinical characteristics, and health status, exercise self-efficacy or interactions of exercise self-efficacy with stage of change predicted increased practice frequency of aerobic exercise at 6 months; of meditative movement therapies at 3 and 6 months; and of relaxation techniques at 3, 6, and 12 months (all p < 0.05). Health locus of control predicted increased practice frequency of aerobic exercise at 3 months and of relaxation techniques at 3, 6, and 12 months (all p < 0.05).
CONCLUSION:
Health behavior change after an integrative medicine inpatient program was predicted by self-efficacy, stage of change, and health locus of control. Considering these aspects might improve adherence to health-promoting behavior after lifestyle modification programs.
PMID: 24078492

KEYWORDS CAM