Characteristics of patients who do not respond to motivational interviewing for heart failure self-care

Background
Motivational interviewing (MI) improves heart failure (HF) self-care for most yet fails to work for some patients. Identifying patients less likely to benefit from MI would save time in identifying a more suitable treatment for these patients.

Objective
The aim of this study was to identify the characteristics of adults with HF less likely to clinically improve self-care after MI.

Methods
This was a secondary intervention group analysis (n = 230) of MOTIVATional intErviewing to improve self-care in Heart Failure patients (MOTIVATE-HF), a trial evaluating MI in improving HF self-care maintenance and management. Self-care was measured with the Self-care of Heart Failure Index v. 6.2 at baseline and 3 months from enrollment. Participants were dichotomized into MI nonresponder (standardized score change <8 points) or MI responder (score change ≥8 points). Logistic regression, adjusted for group differences, identified determinants of nonresponse (odds ratio [95% confidence interval]).

Results
Significant risk factors for self-care maintenance nonresponse 3 months after the intervention were nonischemic HF (2.58 [1.33–5.00], P = .005) and taking fewer medications (0.83 [0.74–0.93], P = .001). These variables explained 29.6% of the variance in HF self-care maintenance. Risk factors for self-care management nonresponse were living alone (4.33 [1.25–14.95], P = .021) and higher baseline self-care management (1.06 [1.02–1.09], P < .001), explaining 35% of the variance in HF self-care management.

Conclusions
Motivational interviewing may be less beneficial in patients with nonischemic HF and taking fewer medications. Patients with HF living alone with relatively better self-care management may be at risk for MI treatment failure. Identifying characteristics of nonresponders to MI in HF contributes to clinical decision making and personalized interventions.