Effects of psychosocial interventions in cardiovascular disease

Abstract

The Dutch Heart Foundation aims to improve psychosocial care for patients with cardiovascular disease. Effective and efficient care should be organized in such a way as to match the patient's adjustment process. The effect of psychosocial interventions depends on the extent to which they are tailored to the needs and problems of the patient. When tailoring the intervention, several aspects should be considered: the patient's processing and adaptation process, individual differences between patients, and disease-specific aspects. With the help of a model developed by the Heart Foundation, it is possible to give direction to the way in which interventions should be implemented within the entire healthcare system. From this perspective, available psychosocial interventions targeting coronary heart disease, heart failure, and cerebrovascular disease were examined. This showed that the effect and efficiency of these interventions can be improved by screening patients several times during the adjustment process for potential risk factors, psychosocial problems, and psychopathology. When developing new interventions, clear goals should be formulated for specific interventions, tailored to specific patient groups. Current rehabilitation programs work towards a mix of health-related and psychosocial goals.