The Effect of Counseling on Health Promoting Lifestyle in Middle-aged Women: A Single-blind Randomized Controlled Trial

Abstract

Abstract: Introduction: Attention to the health of women is one of the health priorities of each country. Health promoting behaviors and improving the quality of life is an international approach and is one of the main challenges of health care researchers and caregivers. Therefore, this study aimed to determine the Effect of counseling on health promotion lifestyle (primary outcome) and quality of life (secondary outcomes) in middle-aged women. Methods: This randomized controlled clinical trial was conducted on 102 middle-aged women covered by health centers in Tabriz, Iran during 2015-16. Using stratified blocking based on age (40-50 and 50-60 years) with block sizes of four and six, the eligible middle-aged women were randomly allocated to the intervention and control groups. The intervention group received health-promoting lifestyle counseling over three 45-minute sessions. The Health-Promoting Lifestyle Profile (HPLP-II) and quality of life questionnaire were completed before and four and eight weeks after the intervention. Data were analyzed using independent t-tests and repeated measures analysis of variance. Results: Results: No significant differences were found between the two groups in terms of socio-demographic characteristics or baseline scores of health-promoting lifestyle and quality of life (p>0.05). After adjustment for baseline values, repeated measures ANOVA showed that after the intervention, the mean scores of health-promoting lifestyle (adjusted mean difference= 0.91, 95% confidence interval: 0.83 to 0.99, P<0.001) and quality of life (adjusted mean difference= 18.20, 95% confidence interval: 15.75 to 20.66, P<0.001). were significantly higher in counseling group compared to control group.

Conclusions: Counseling can improve health-promoting lifestyle and therefore quality of life in middle-aged women.