Predictors of engagement in and response to health behavior interventions in patients with heart failure

• Applicant: Dr. Anna Markser
• Subject Area: Public Health, Healthcare Research, Social and Occupational Medicine
• Term: since 2026
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 584933137

Cardiovascular disease is the most common cause of mortality worldwide and health behavior adherence plays a key role in the development and progression of cardiovascular disease. Despite the known benefits of health behavior adherence, adherence to health behavior recommendations is generally low among patients with cardiovascular disease. While existing health behavior interventions for patients with cardiovascular disease have several limitations, interventions such as positive psychology and motivational interviewing have shown promising effects on health behavior adherence. Professor Celano´s research group at the Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard University, Boston, has been extensively investigating health behavior interventions in patients with cardiac and metabolic disorders and is one of the world´s leading research groups in the field of psychocardiology. Currently, they are performing three randomized, controlled trials of positive psychology-motivational interviewing interventions in individuals with heart failure (Reach for Health), acute coronary syndrome (PEACE), and type 2 diabetes (BEHOLD). The ongoing project Reach for Health, which is investigating the effects of a combined motivational interviewing and positive psychology intervention in patients with heart failure, will reach its recruitment goals by the beginning of 2026. The aim of the proposed project is to identify predictors (e.g. sociodemographic, psychological, somatic / biological factors) of engagement in and response to a positive psychology-motivational interviewing intervention in individuals with heart failure, using data from a currently ongoing trial (Reach for Health) at my host institution, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard University, Boston, USA. This would make it possible to identify in the long term those patients who may benefit best from this type of intervention. Throughout this process, I would also acquire practical training in the development and execution of behavioral health interventions delivered in a variety of formats, including by phone, text message, and online. Through a collaboration with the Qualitative and Mixed Methods Research Unit at Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, I will develop, plan, execute a qualitative study to obtain feedback from participants of the Reach for Health study and to identify individual barriers and facilitators to engagement in and response to the intervention applied. I additionally will participate in the ongoing PEACE and BEHOLD trials, which will help me to understand how the interventions were tailored to each patient population. Finally, I will be exposed to additional trials that deliver health behavior and positive psychology content using different technological means, such as text messaging and audio sessions.

• DFG Programme: Fellowship
• International Connection: USA
• Host: Professor Christopher Celano