Abstract

Background: Studies have shown that counseling about risk factor-related lifestyle habits can produce significantly beneficial changes in stroke patients’ lifestyle habits. However, it is not sufficient nearly to provide a patient with appropriate information, but the quality of lifestyle counseling is also essential. The aim of the study was to investigate the effects of lifestyle counseling intervention on lifestyle counseling quality in stroke and TIA patients.

Methods: Post-test control group design was used. Stroke and TIA patients (n=98), divided into intervention and control group, completed Counseling Quality Questionnaire after receiving lifestyle counseling at the hospital (January 2010–October 2011). Data were analyzed with analysis of variance.

Results: The patients rated lifestyle counseling quality quite high in terms of all sum variables except patient centeredness. Counseling quality except for counseling resources was estimated to be significantly better by the intervention group.

Conclusion: Lifestyle counseling quality at hospital can be enhanced by counseling intervention. More attention to factors that promote patient centeredness of counseling is required since patient centeredness has repeatedly been recognized as the weakest aspect of counseling by both stroke patients and other patient groups.