Can Goal-Based Health Management Improve the Health Knowledge, Health Belief and Health Behavior in People at High Risk of Stroke? A Non-Randomized Controlled Trial

PURPOSE: To examine the effectiveness of goal-based health management on health knowledge, health belief and health behavior in people at high risk of stroke. PATIENTS AND METHODS: This is a two-armed and non-randomized controlled trial from May 31, 2020 to December 31, 2020. Participants were arranged to receive regular health care (n=126) or goal-based health management (n=126). The generalized estimation equation was used to analyze the changes in the participants’ health knowledge, health belief and health behavior at baseline (T0), 1-month (T1), 3-month (T3), and 6-month (T6). RESULTS: A total of 243 participants completed the 6-month study, of which 123 were in the control group and 120 were in the intervention group. After receiving goal-based health management, participants’ health behavior (β=27.154, p<0.001), health knowledge (β=10.504, p<0.001) and health belief (β=49.057, p<0.001) scores increased significantly. CONCLUSION: Goal-based health management can effectively improve the health knowledge, health belief and health behavior of people at high risk of stroke. We recommend that nurses can provide goal-based health management for people at high risk of stroke with support from hospitals and family members of people at high risk of stroke.