Effectiveness of Motivational Interviewing for Improving Continuity of Care among Stroke Patients

Effectiveness of Motivational Interviewing for Improving Continuity of Care among Stroke Patients

Background: Continuity of care (CoC) is an important issue for first-time stroke patients. Motivational interviewing (MI) involves facilitating and engaging intrinsic motivation within patients to change their behavior. However, there is a lack of relevant empirical studies on the effectiveness of MI for improving CoC among stroke patients. The purpose of this study is to explore the effectiveness of 6 weeks of MI on improving perception of CoC and depression levels among subjects who have experienced their first stroke. Methods: This was a quasi-experimental study. Sixty-five patients diagnosed with stroke and hospitalized in the rehabilitation ward of a regional hospital in central Taiwan were recruited. Test results for patient continuity of care perception (PCCQ) and degree of depression were collected in both groups before and immediately after the 6-week intervention period, as well as at 3 months following the intervention period. Results: Using the pretest results of the control group as baseline values, under the interaction of control and time, statistically significant differences in PCCQ scores were observed in the experimental group after 6-week intervention. The results confirmed that MI enhances PCCQ scores (GEE = 0.41, p = 0.005) of stroke patients. Conclusion: As MI enhances PCCQ scores, it can be applied to the clinical care of stroke patients.