Ischemic Heart DiseaseHeart Up!NCT03907891
Reducing Hopelessness Through Improved Physical Activity in Adults With Heart Disease: With COVID-19 Considerations
A study testing Motivational social support from nurse and Motivational social support from nurse with additional support from significant other in people with Ischemic Heart Disease and Hopelessness, run by University of Illinois Chicago at 1 site in United States.
Trial summary
After a 30-year decline, heart disease is projected to increase up to 18% by 2030. Participation rates in cardiac rehabilitation remain extremely low and hopeless individuals are less likely to participate. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 18 years and older
- Conditions the study is for
- Ischemic Heart Disease, Hopelessness, Physical Activity
- What is being tested?
- Motivational social support from nurse and Motivational social support from nurse with additional support from significant other
- Type of treatment
- Lifestyle or therapy programme
- Could I receive a placebo?
- No, everyone receives an active treatment
- How many people
- 224 participants
- Where
- 1 siteUnited States
- Study dates
- 1 Aug 2019to 16 Sep 2024
- Phase
- Interventional
- Are there results?
- Yes, posted in the registrySummary in the doctors' view
Key requirements
Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.
- Ages 18 years and older
- All sexes
- No healthy volunteers
- Adult, Older adult
Who may be able to join
- Adults ≥18 years old
- Diagnosed with MI, unstable angina, who undergo percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) or coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery
- Use a cell phone with text messaging
- Receive a recommendation to engage in physical activity either at home or in a hospital-based cardiac rehabilitation setting
- Have a planned discharge home
- Can identify a significant other who can text message them
Show all 9Show fewer
- Speak and read English
- Can complete the screening instrument
- A score of ≥1.8 on the 10-item state subscale of the State-Trait Hopelessness Scale
Who cannot join
- None
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country.
About this study
Official title: A Randomized Controlled Trial to Reduce Hopelessness Through Enhanced Physical Activity in Adults With Ischemic Heart Disease
After a 30-year decline, heart disease is projected to increase up to 18% by 2030. Participation rates in cardiac rehabilitation remain extremely low and hopeless individuals are less likely to participate. This innovative study has the potential to advance science, improve patient care, and improve patient outcomes by demonstrating the effectiveness of the Heart Up! program to increase physical activity and reduce hopelessness in patients with heart disease. Hopelessness is associated with a 3.4 times increased risk of mortality or nonfatal myocardial infarction in patients with ischemic heart disease (IHD), independent of depression. Hopelessness has been identified in 27-52% of patients with IHD and can persist for up to 12 months after hospital discharge. Hopelessness, a negative outlook and sense of helplessness toward the future, can be a temporary response to an event (state) or a habitual outlook (trait). Hopelessness is associated with decreased physical functioning and lower physical activity (PA) levels in individuals with IHD. While research has investigated strategies to increase PA among IHD patients in general, the study team is the only group to design an intervention to promote PA specifically in hopeless IHD patients. The purpose of this randomized controlled trial is to establish the effectiveness of our 6-week mHealth intervention (Heart Up!) to promote increased PA in hopeless patients with IHD. A total of 225 hopeless IHD patients will be enrolled from a large community teaching hospital in the Midwest. Patients will be randomized (75 per group) to one of three groups: 1) motivational social support (MSS) from a nurse, 2) MSS from a nurse with additional significant other support (SOS), or 3) attention control (AC). It is hypothesized that 1) The MSS with SOS group will have the greatest increase in average minutes of moderate to vigorous PA per day at 8 and 24 weeks as compared to the MSS only or AC groups; 2) Greater increase in minutes of moderate to vigorous PA per day will be associated with decreased state hopelessness levels from baseline to weeks 8 and 24; and 3) Increased social support and increased motivation will mediate the effects of Heart Up! on a greater increase in moderate to vigorous PA at 8 and 24 weeks. The findings from this study could transform care for IHD patients who are hopeless by promoting self-management of important PA goals that can contribute to better health outcomes.
Read the detailed description
Hopelessness is associated with a 3.4 times increased risk of mortality or nonfatal myocardial infarction in patients with ischemic heart disease (IHD), independent of depression. Hopelessness has been identified in 27-52% of patients with IHD and can persist for up to 12 months after hospital discharge. Hopelessness, a negative outlook and sense of helplessness toward the future, can be a temporary response to an event (state) or a habitual outlook (trait). Hopelessness is associated with decreased physical functioning and lower physical activity (PA) levels in individuals with IHD. Low levels of PA independently contribute to increased death and adverse events in patients with IHD. Rates of PA in IHD patients continue to be unacceptably low in both hospital-based cardiac rehabilitation and home settings. Hopelessness frequently compounds this issue. The links among hopelessness, PA, and mortality and morbidity for patients with IHD remain unknown. While research has investigated strategies to increase PA among IHD patients in general, the study team is the only group to design an intervention to promote PA specifically in hopeless IHD patients. This research, based on Self Determination Theory and Cohen's Stress and Coping Social Support Theory, has shown feasibility and preliminary efficacy for a motivational intervention that integrates social support from both the patient's nurse and significant other to promote increased PA. The purpose of this randomized controlled trial is to establish the effectiveness of our 6-week mHealth intervention (Heart Up!) to promote increased PA in hopeless patients with IHD. The study team will enroll 225 hopeless IHD patients from a large community teaching hospital in the Midwest. Patients will be randomized (75 per group) to one of three groups: 1) motivational social support (MSS) from a nurse, 2) MSS from a nurse with additional significant other support (SOS), or 3) attention control (AC). Data will be collected at baseline, months 2, 6, 9 and 12 using an accelerometer for PA and valid and reliable instruments of physical and emotional health and behaviors. The specific aims are to: 1) test the effectiveness of 6 weeks of MSS and MSS with SOS on increasing mean minutes per day of moderate to vigorous PA, measured by an ActiGraph accelerometer; 2) determine the effects of change in minutes per day of moderate to vigorous PA on state hopelessness, measured by the State-Trait Hopelessness Scale; and 3): determine if social support (measured by the ENRICHD Social Support Inventory) and motivation (measured by the Exercise Self-Regulation Questionnaire) mediate the effects of the Heart Up! intervention on PA. The specific aims of the supplement are to: 1) determine how the potentially negative impact of COVID-19 shelter-in-place/physical distancing measures on mental, social, and behavioral health outcomes are limited (moderated) by the RCT intervention and 2) using the Coronavirus Impact Scale, we will determine how the direct impact of COVID-19 life changes on mental, social, and behavioral health outcomes are limited (moderated) by the RCT intervention. The findings from this study could transform care for IHD patients who are hopeless by promoting self-management of important PA goals that can contribute to better health outcomes. This proposal supports NINR's investment in self-management to improve the quality of life for individuals with chronic illness.
- Conditions
- Ischemic Heart Disease, Hopelessness, Physical Activity, Motivation, Social Support, Covid19
- Being tested
- Motivational social support from nurse, Motivational social support from nurse with additional support from significant other, Attention control
- Medical subject headings
- Myocardial Ischemia, Motor Activity, COVID-19
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
Motivational social support from nurseBehavioural
A 60-minute motivational interviewing session with a nurse, followed by 6 weeks of daily motivational social support text messages.
Motivational social support from nurse with additional support from significant otherBehavioural
A 60-minute motivational interviewing session with a nurse, followed by 6 weeks of daily motivational social support text messages from both a nurse and the patient's self-identified significant other.
Attention controlBehavioural
A 60-minute session with a nurse focused on American Heart Association educational videos and written information.
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Motivational social support (MSS) from a nurse alone | Experimental | Participants will receive a 60-minute session of motivational interviewing via videoconference or telephone (at participant discretion) in their home from a trained nurse. The nurse will apply motivational interviewing techniques to explore the patient's thoughts about making a behavior change to attain adequate physical activity (PA). Patients will be encouraged to exercise based on instructions provided by the hospital staff. The patient's ability to take their radial pulse before and after PA will be assessed, and patients will be provided written instructions on the correct manner to take a radial pulse. Patients will receive daily motivational text messages from the nurse for 6 weeks. The texts will be sent via the REDCap automated system. The automated system confirms that texts were sent. The motivational interviewer nurse will confirm by phone that the patient receives her/his first text from the REDCap system. Receives: Behavioral: Motivational social support from nurse |
| MSS from nurse with additional significant other support (SOS) | Experimental | Participants will also receive a 60-minute session of motivational interviewing via videoconference or telephone (at participant discretion) in their home from a trained nurse and text messages from a nurse for 6 weeks, as described in arm 1. In addition, patients will receive daily text messages from their significant other for 6 weeks. Researchers developed the 42 significant other text messages. The motivational interviewing nurse will provide the text messages to the significant other in writing. The order of texts sent from the significant other will be randomized so that we can determine their effectiveness in general. The significant other will be asked to type and send the text message listed for each date to the patient. Study staff will confirm by phone that the patient received the first text from the significant other. Patients will be asked to track the number of text messages from the significant other that they read over the 6-week period using the log provided. Receives: Behavioral: Motivational social support from nurse with additional support from significant other |
| Attention control (AC) | Active comparator | Participants in the AC group will receive a 60-minutes session with a nurse via videoconference or telephone (at participant discretion) viewing of American Heart Association educational videos and and documents regarding IHD. The nurse will additionally provide a written copy of the hospital physical activity instructions, will assess the patient's ability to take their pulse, and provide written instructions on the correct manner to take a radial pulse. Receives: Behavioral: Attention control |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Minutes/Day of Physical Activity (Measured by Actigraph)
Minutes/day of moderate to vigorous physical activity as measured by an ActiGraph GT9X Link Accelerometer. Higher number of minutes/day represents a better outcome, lower number of minutes/day represents a worse outcome. Characteristics were not collected for significant others in the SOS group.
Measured: Month 6
State Hopelessness (Measured by State-Trait Hopelessness Scale)
Participant's report of current level of state hopelessness. Total score range= 1 (better) to 4 (worse). Characteristics were not collected for significant others in the SOS group.
Measured: Month 6
Secondary outcomes (2)
Exercise Self-Regulation Questionnaire
Participant's report of exercise self-regulation level. Total score range= 1 (worse) to 7 (better). Characteristics were not collected for significant others in the SOS group.
Measured: Month 6
ENRICHD Social Support Inventory
Participant's report of perceived social support level. Total score range= 1 (worse) to 30 (better). Characteristics were not collected for significant others in the SOS group.
Measured: Month 6
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted9 Apr 2019
- Study start1 Aug 2019
- Primary completion16 Sep 2024
- Study completion16 Sep 2024
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Posted resultsParticipant flow, outcome measures and adverse events reported by the sponsor.
- Publications (5)Papers the sponsor has linked to this study.
- Other trials for Ischemic Heart DiseaseStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- More trials run by University of Illinois ChicagoThe sponsor's other registered studies.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
More details
For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.
Study design
- Study type
- Interventional
- Phase
- Phase N/A
- Primary purpose
- Treatment
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Model description
- A three group RCT will be used to test the effectiveness of a mHealth intervention (Heart Up!) versus attention control to promote increased physical activity and reduce state hopelessness. Patients will be randomized to one of three groups: 1) motivational social support (MSS) from a nurse, 2) MSS from a nurse with additional significant other support (SOS), or 3) attention control (AC). Data will be collected at baseline, and 2, 6, 9 and 12 months.
- Masking
- Triple blind
- Who is masked
- Care provider, Investigator, Outcomes assessor
- Enrolment
- 224 participants (actual)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- University of Illinois Chicago
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Collaborators
- National Institute of Nursing Research (NINR)
- Responsible party
- Principal investigator, Susan L Dunn, PhD, RN, FAHA, FAAN, University of Illinois Chicago
- Investigators
- Susan L Dunn, PhD, Principal investigator, University of Illinois Chicago
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT03907891
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- 2018-1485
- Other IDs
- R01NR017649, 3R01NR017649-04S1
- Acronym
- Heart Up!
- Status last verified
- Jan 2026
- First submitted
- 3 Apr 2019
- Last updated
- 13 Feb 2026
- Results posted
- Yes, on ClinicalTrials.gov
- Data monitoring committee
- Yes
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
- Individual data sharing
- Yes: Researchers will adhere to the NIH Policy on the Dissemination of NIH-Funded Clinical Trial Information. Data sets and associated documentation will be provided. The data sets will include data from questionnaires, the motivational intervention, and accelerometer-measured physical activity raw data elements and summary information. The dataset will be prepared in accordance with guidelines for the data repository. Key study documents (e.g., protocols, procedures, and instruments) that will enable the use of prepared data sets by outside investigators will be provided. A summary documentation file will be created to provide a complete overview of the data and a description of their use for investigators who are not familiar with the data set.
Publications
Dunn SL, DeVon HA, Collins EG, Luong A, Buursma MP, Gutierrez-Kapheim M, Bronas UG. Suicide Risk Management Protocol for a Randomized Controlled Trial of Cardiac Patients Reporting Hopelessness. Nurs Res. 2021 Jan/Feb;70(1):72-79. doi: 10.1097/NNR.0000000000000474.
PubMed 32956255Dunn SL, Robbins LB, Tintle NL, Collins EG, Bronas UG, Goodyke MP, Luong A, Gutierrez-Kapheim M, DeVon HA. Heart up! RCT protocol to increase physical activity in cardiac patients who report hopelessness: Amended for the COVID-19 pandemic. Res Nurs Health. 2021 Apr;44(2):279-294. doi: 10.1002/nur.22106. Epub 2021 Jan 11.
PubMed 33428224Luong A, Goodyke M, Dunn SL, Baynard T, Bronas U. ActiGraph and Short-term Heart Rate Variability Study Protocol: Amended for the COVID-19 Pandemic. J Cardiovasc Nurs. 2021 Nov-Dec 01;36(6):599-608. doi: 10.1097/JCN.0000000000000817.
PubMed 33833190Goodyke MP, Tintle N, Collins E, DeVon HA, Bronas UG, Baynard T, Dunn SL. Lower Perceived Social Support Associated With Greater Hopelessness in Patients After an Acute Ischemic Heart Disease Event. J Cardiovasc Nurs. 2025 Sep-Oct 01;40(5):E239-E247. doi: 10.1097/JCN.0000000000001163. Epub 2024 Oct 24.
PubMed 39454079Goodyke MP, Bronas UG, Baynard T, Tintle N, DeVon HA, Collins E, Dunn SL. Relationships Among Heart Rate Variability, Perceived Social Support, and Hopelessness in Adults With Ischemic Heart Disease. J Am Heart Assoc. 2024 Feb 20;13(4):e032759. doi: 10.1161/JAHA.123.032759. Epub 2024 Feb 13.
PubMed 38348815
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 13 Feb 2026. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- A Randomized Controlled Trial to Reduce Hopelessness Through Enhanced Physical Activity in Adults With Ischemic Heart Disease
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT03907891
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- Heart Up! / 2018-1485
- Conditions
- Ischemic Heart Disease, Hopelessness, Physical Activity, Motivation, Social Support, Covid19
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Completed
- Enrolment
- 224 participants (actual)
- Lead sponsor
- University of Illinois ChicagoUniversity, hospital or other
- Collaborators
- National Institute of Nursing Research (NINR)
- Study start
- 1 Aug 2019 (actual)
- Primary completion
- 16 Sep 2024 (actual)
- Study completion
- 16 Sep 2024 (actual)
- First posted
- 9 Apr 2019 (actual)
- Results
- Posted 13 Feb 2026
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
After a 30-year decline, heart disease is projected to increase up to 18% by 2030. Participation rates in cardiac rehabilitation remain extremely low and hopeless individuals are less likely to participate. This innovative study has the potential to advance science, improve patient care, and improve patient outcomes by demonstrating the effectiveness of the Heart Up! program to increase physical activity and reduce hopelessness in patients with heart disease. Hopelessness is associated with a 3.4 times increased risk of mortality or nonfatal myocardial infarction in patients with ischemic heart disease (IHD), independent of depression. Hopelessness has been identified in 27-52% of patients with IHD and can persist for up to 12 months after hospital discharge. Hopelessness, a negative outlook and sense of helplessness toward the future, can be a temporary response to an event (state) or a habitual outlook (trait). Hopelessness is associated with decreased physical functioning and lower physical activity (PA) levels in individuals with IHD. While research has investigated strategies to increase PA among IHD patients in general, the study team is the only group to design an intervention to promote PA specifically in hopeless IHD patients. The purpose of this randomized controlled trial is to establish the effectiveness of our 6-week mHealth intervention (Heart Up!) to promote increased PA in hopeless patients with IHD. A total of 225 hopeless IHD patients will be enrolled from a large community teaching hospital in the Midwest. Patients will be randomized (75 per group) to one of three groups: 1) motivational social support (MSS) from a nurse, 2) MSS from a nurse with additional significant other support (SOS), or 3) attention control (AC). It is hypothesized that 1) The MSS with SOS group will have the greatest increase in average minutes of moderate to vigorous PA per day at 8 and 24 weeks as compared to the MSS only or AC groups; 2) Greater increase in minutes of moderate to vigorous PA per day will be associated with decreased state hopelessness levels from baseline to weeks 8 and 24; and 3) Increased social support and increased motivation will mediate the effects of Heart Up! on a greater increase in moderate to vigorous PA at 8 and 24 weeks. The findings from this study could transform care for IHD patients who are hopeless by promoting self-management of important PA goals that can contribute to better health outcomes.
Detailed description
Hopelessness is associated with a 3.4 times increased risk of mortality or nonfatal myocardial infarction in patients with ischemic heart disease (IHD), independent of depression. Hopelessness has been identified in 27-52% of patients with IHD and can persist for up to 12 months after hospital discharge. Hopelessness, a negative outlook and sense of helplessness toward the future, can be a temporary response to an event (state) or a habitual outlook (trait). Hopelessness is associated with decreased physical functioning and lower physical activity (PA) levels in individuals with IHD. Low levels of PA independently contribute to increased death and adverse events in patients with IHD. Rates of PA in IHD patients continue to be unacceptably low in both hospital-based cardiac rehabilitation and home settings. Hopelessness frequently compounds this issue. The links among hopelessness, PA, and mortality and morbidity for patients with IHD remain unknown. While research has investigated strategies to increase PA among IHD patients in general, the study team is the only group to design an intervention to promote PA specifically in hopeless IHD patients. This research, based on Self Determination Theory and Cohen's Stress and Coping Social Support Theory, has shown feasibility and preliminary efficacy for a motivational intervention that integrates social support from both the patient's nurse and significant other to promote increased PA. The purpose of this randomized controlled trial is to establish the effectiveness of our 6-week mHealth intervention (Heart Up!) to promote increased PA in hopeless patients with IHD. The study team will enroll 225 hopeless IHD patients from a large community teaching hospital in the Midwest. Patients will be randomized (75 per group) to one of three groups: 1) motivational social support (MSS) from a nurse, 2) MSS from a nurse with additional significant other support (SOS), or 3) attention control (AC). Data will be collected at baseline, months 2, 6, 9 and 12 using an accelerometer for PA and valid and reliable instruments of physical and emotional health and behaviors. The specific aims are to: 1) test the effectiveness of 6 weeks of MSS and MSS with SOS on increasing mean minutes per day of moderate to vigorous PA, measured by an ActiGraph accelerometer; 2) determine the effects of change in minutes per day of moderate to vigorous PA on state hopelessness, measured by the State-Trait Hopelessness Scale; and 3): determine if social support (measured by the ENRICHD Social Support Inventory) and motivation (measured by the Exercise Self-Regulation Questionnaire) mediate the effects of the Heart Up! intervention on PA. The specific aims of the supplement are to: 1) determine how the potentially negative impact of COVID-19 shelter-in-place/physical distancing measures on mental, social, and behavioral health outcomes are limited (moderated) by the RCT intervention and 2) using the Coronavirus Impact Scale, we will determine how the direct impact of COVID-19 life changes on mental, social, and behavioral health outcomes are limited (moderated) by the RCT intervention. The findings from this study could transform care for IHD patients who are hopeless by promoting self-management of important PA goals that can contribute to better health outcomes. This proposal supports NINR's investment in self-management to improve the quality of life for individuals with chronic illness.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Treatment
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- Triple blind (care provider, investigator, outcomes assessor)
- Number of arms
- 3
- Model description
- A three group RCT will be used to test the effectiveness of a mHealth intervention (Heart Up!) versus attention control to promote increased physical activity and reduce state hopelessness. Patients will be randomized to one of three groups: 1) motivational social support (MSS) from a nurse, 2) MSS from a nurse with additional significant other support (SOS), or 3) attention control (AC). Data will be collected at baseline, and 2, 6, 9 and 12 months.
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| Motivational social support (MSS) from a nurse alone | Experimental | Behavioral: Motivational social support from nurseParticipants will receive a 60-minute session of motivational interviewing via videoconference or telephone (at participant discretion) in their home from a trained nurse. The nurse will apply motivational interviewing techniques to explore the patient's thoughts about making a behavior change to attain adequate physical activity (PA). Patients will be encouraged to exercise based on instructions provided by the hospital staff. The patient's ability to take their radial pulse before and after PA will be assessed, and patients will be provided written instructions on the correct manner to take a radial pulse. Patients will receive daily motivational text messages from the nurse for 6 weeks. The texts will be sent via the REDCap automated system. The automated system confirms that texts were sent. The motivational interviewer nurse will confirm by phone that the patient receives her/his first text from the REDCap system. |
| MSS from nurse with additional significant other support (SOS) | Experimental | Behavioral: Motivational social support from nurse with additional support from significant otherParticipants will also receive a 60-minute session of motivational interviewing via videoconference or telephone (at participant discretion) in their home from a trained nurse and text messages from a nurse for 6 weeks, as described in arm 1. In addition, patients will receive daily text messages from their significant other for 6 weeks. Researchers developed the 42 significant other text messages. The motivational interviewing nurse will provide the text messages to the significant other in writing. The order of texts sent from the significant other will be randomized so that we can determine their effectiveness in general. The significant other will be asked to type and send the text message listed for each date to the patient. Study staff will confirm by phone that the patient received the first text from the significant other. Patients will be asked to track the number of text messages from the significant other that they read over the 6-week period using the log provided. |
| Attention control (AC) | Active comparator | Behavioral: Attention controlParticipants in the AC group will receive a 60-minutes session with a nurse via videoconference or telephone (at participant discretion) viewing of American Heart Association educational videos and and documents regarding IHD. The nurse will additionally provide a written copy of the hospital physical activity instructions, will assess the patient's ability to take their pulse, and provide written instructions on the correct manner to take a radial pulse. |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 18 years and older
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Not accepted
- Age groups
- Adult, Older adult
Key inclusion criteria (9 listed)
- Adults ≥18 years old
- Diagnosed with MI, unstable angina, who undergo percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) or coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery
- Use a cell phone with text messaging
- Receive a recommendation to engage in physical activity either at home or in a hospital-based cardiac rehabilitation setting
- Have a planned discharge home
Key exclusion criteria (1 listed)
- None
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Interventions
| Intervention | Type | Arms |
|---|---|---|
| Motivational social support from nurseA 60-minute motivational interviewing session with a nurse, followed by 6 weeks of daily motivational social support text messages. | Behavioural | Motivational social support (MSS) from a nurse alone |
| Motivational social support from nurse with additional support from significant otherA 60-minute motivational interviewing session with a nurse, followed by 6 weeks of daily motivational social support text messages from both a nurse and the patient's self-identified significant other. | Behavioural | MSS from nurse with additional significant other support (SOS) |
| Attention controlA 60-minute session with a nurse focused on American Heart Association educational videos and written information. | Behavioural | Attention control (AC) |
Primary outcome
Minutes/Day of Physical Activity (Measured by Actigraph)
Time frame: Month 6
Minutes/day of moderate to vigorous physical activity as measured by an ActiGraph GT9X Link Accelerometer. Higher number of minutes/day represents a better outcome, lower number of minutes/day represents a worse outcome. Characteristics were not collected for significant others in the SOS group.
State Hopelessness (Measured by State-Trait Hopelessness Scale)
Time frame: Month 6
Participant's report of current level of state hopelessness. Total score range= 1 (better) to 4 (worse). Characteristics were not collected for significant others in the SOS group.
2 secondary outcomes
Exercise Self-Regulation Questionnaire
Time frame: Month 6
ENRICHD Social Support Inventory
Time frame: Month 6
Results and safety
Loading the posted results from ClinicalTrials.gov…
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 13 Feb 2026.
- Posted resultsParticipant flow, baseline, all outcome measures and adverse events.
- Background: PubMed 32956255Dunn SL, DeVon HA, Collins EG, Luong A, Buursma MP, Gutierrez-Kapheim M, Bronas UG. Suicide Risk Management Protocol for a Randomized Controlled Trial of Cardiac Patients Reporting Hopelessness. Nurs Res. 2021 Jan/Feb;70(1):72-79. doi: 10.1097/NNR.0000000000000474.
- Background: PubMed 33428224Dunn SL, Robbins LB, Tintle NL, Collins EG, Bronas UG, Goodyke MP, Luong A, Gutierrez-Kapheim M, DeVon HA. Heart up! RCT protocol to increase physical activity in cardiac patients who report hopelessness: Amended for the COVID-19 pandemic. Res Nurs Health. 2021 Apr;44(2):279-294. doi: 10.1002/nur.22106. Epub 2021 Jan 11.
- Background: PubMed 33833190Luong A, Goodyke M, Dunn SL, Baynard T, Bronas U. ActiGraph and Short-term Heart Rate Variability Study Protocol: Amended for the COVID-19 Pandemic. J Cardiovasc Nurs. 2021 Nov-Dec 01;36(6):599-608. doi: 10.1097/JCN.0000000000000817.
- Derived from this study: PubMed 39454079Goodyke MP, Tintle N, Collins E, DeVon HA, Bronas UG, Baynard T, Dunn SL. Lower Perceived Social Support Associated With Greater Hopelessness in Patients After an Acute Ischemic Heart Disease Event. J Cardiovasc Nurs. 2025 Sep-Oct 01;40(5):E239-E247. doi: 10.1097/JCN.0000000000001163. Epub 2024 Oct 24.
- Derived from this study: PubMed 38348815Goodyke MP, Bronas UG, Baynard T, Tintle N, DeVon HA, Collins E, Dunn SL. Relationships Among Heart Rate Variability, Perceived Social Support, and Hopelessness in Adults With Ischemic Heart Disease. J Am Heart Assoc. 2024 Feb 20;13(4):e032759. doi: 10.1161/JAHA.123.032759. Epub 2024 Feb 13.
- Individual participant dataSharing planned: Yes. Researchers will adhere to the NIH Policy on the Dissemination of NIH-Funded Clinical Trial Information. Data sets and associated documentation will be provided. The data sets will include data from questionnaires, the motivational intervention, and accelerometer-measured physical activity raw data elements and summary information. The dataset will be prepared in accordance with guidelines for the data repository. Key study documents (e.g., protocols, procedures, and instruments) that will enable the use of prepared data sets by outside investigators will be provided. A summary documentation file will be created to provide a complete overview of the data and a description of their use for investigators who are not familiar with the data set.
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Referral and contact
AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part. This study is not recruiting at the moment.
Susan L Dunn, PhD principal investigator
University of Illinois Chicago
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A study testing Motivational social support from nurse and Motivational social support from nurse with additional support from significant other in people with Ischemic Heart Disease and Hopelessness, run by University of Illinois Chicago at 1 site in United States.
The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.
Who may be eligible to take part?
The sponsor lists 9 inclusion and 1 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.
Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?
The record says: finished, as of the sponsor's last update on 13 Feb 2026. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.
Where is the study taking place?
The record lists 1 site in United States. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.
What are the possible benefits and risks?
They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.
Are results available for this study?
Yes. Results are posted in the registry (first posted 13 Feb 2026). A summary is in the For doctors view, and the full results are on ClinicalTrials.gov.
How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?
The record lists no contact. The official record names the sponsor, who can be asked directly. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
Minutes/Day of Physical Activity (Measured by Actigraph) (time frame: Month 6). The study lists 2 primary outcomes in all. It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
On the ClinicalTrials.gov record for NCT03907891, which also lists 5 linked publications.
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?
No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.
How often is this information updated?
AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 13 Feb 2026.