Effects of person-centred care on health outcomes-A randomized controlled trial in patients with acute coronary syndrome

Objectives: To study the effects of person-centred care provided to patients with acute coronary syndrome, using four different health-related outcome measures. Also, to examine the performance of these outcomes when measuring person-centred care.

Data and method: The data used in this study consists of primary data from a multicentre randomized parallel group, controlled intervention study for patients with acute coronary syndrome at Sahlgrenska University Hospital in Gothenburg, Sweden. The intervention and control group consisted of 94 and 105 patients, respectively. The effect of the intervention on health-related outcomes was estimated, controlling for socio-economic and disease-related variables.

Results: Patients in the intervention group reported significantly higher general self-efficacy than those in the control group six months after intervention start-up. Moreover, the intervention group returned to work in a greater extent than controls; their physical activity level had increased more and they had a higher EQ-5D score, meaning higher health-related quality of life. These latter effects are not significant but are all pointing towards the beneficial effects of person-centred care. All the effects were estimated while controlling for important socio-economic and disease-related variables.

Conclusion: The effectiveness of person-centred care varies between different outcomes considered. A statistically significant beneficial effect was found for one of the four outcome measures (self-efficacy). The other measures all captured beneficial, but not significant, effects.