Reducing Cardiometabolic Risk in Women Through Goal Setting and Virtual Interval Follow Up

Background: Cardiometabolic (CM) disorders are primarily lifestyle-induced and cause significant morbidity and mortality in women. Heart disease is responsible for 1 in 5 female deaths and is the leading cause of death for women in the United States. Diminishing the consequences of CM disorders is well established by research through engaging women at risk in lifestyle modification interventions. Population studies have shown that women often have early- onset risk factors for CM in their reproductive years. This pilot project aimed to improve CM risk by using an individualized approach to goal setting and brief, weekly virtual interval health coaching through text messages. Methods: The director of a diabetes and cardiac disease prevention program identified eligible participants and referred them to the project lead. Participants' initial contact occurred through their electronic health record patient portal. Participants then completed a survey that gathered demographic information, determined a health goal, and ranked their satisfaction, attitude, motivation, power, and perceived self-control about making changes to their health. Follow-up occurred through weekly text messaging encounters centered on progress with the participant's goal and additional suggestions to advance healthy behaviors toward their goal. Fourteen women completed a post-intervention survey to determine if they met their goals and if general perceptions of health status and power to change the trajectory of their health had changed. Results: Most of the participants were white, had either some college or a college degree and had an annual income of $50,000 or higher. No significant differences occurred between the amount of exercise, servings of fruits and vegetables consumed, and how the participants ranked their satisfaction, attitude, motivation, power, and perceived self-control about making changes to their health following the intervention. Twelve of 14 women indicated an interest in participating in a similar program if offered again. Conclusions: Although the outcomes were not statistically significant, they were clinically significant because the women willingly engaged in a program of healthy behavior change and experienced some minor but impactful success. This pilot study was small, and the results cannot be generalized to other health care settings or populations. Healthy behavior changes take significant time to evolve. More study needs to be conducted to test this intervention over a much more extended time, with a larger and more diverse sample of women, to determine its effectiveness for changing health behaviors and reducing CM risk.