Special Issue of Preventive Medicine Will Feature Three Pro-Change Articles

The journal of Preventive Medicine in early 2008 will publish a special issue on multiple behavior change. All three articles submitted by Pro-Change were accepted. They include: Transtheoretical Model-based Multiple Behavior Intervention for Weight Management: Effectiveness on a Population Basis; Relationships Among Multiple Behaviors for Childhood and Adolescent Obesity Prevention; and Initial Efficacy of MI, TTM Tailoring, and HRI’s with Multiple Behaviors for Employee Health Promotion.

Recognized for its authoritative contributions to the entire field of preventive medicine and public health, Preventive Medicine: An International Journal Devoted to Practice and Theory is a respected source of information on applied research into all aspects of prevention.

Dr. Sara Johnson Presents Full-Day Workshop at IBM

Pro-Change director Sara Johnson, Ph.D. was recently invited to present a full-day workshop for IBM’s Global Well-being Services and Health Benefits Division.

The workshop outlined strategic approaches to elicit employee behavior change and drive smarter, more cost-effective use of health services and greater attention to healthy living. Attendees reviewed a definition of “proactive health consumerism” and the Transtheoretical Model of Behavior Change, which demonstrates that individuals progress through a series of distinct stages en route to adopting and maintaining health behaviors.

Dr. Johnson presented examples of the Transtheoretical Model’s successful application to multiple behavior change (e.g., weight management). These findings support the notion that different intervention and communication strategies are needed to engage and impact people in different stages. Current activities within Global Health and Well-being that leverage a stage-based approach to promoting proactive health consumerism were discussed, and participants then were challenged to outline intervention strategies that employ a stage-based approach to promoting proactive health consumerism among employees.

Dr. James Prochaska Presents Key Note Address at Information Therapy Conference

Tailoring Information Therapy: Applying Next-Generation Analytics and Behavior Change Theory was the key note address delivered by James O. Prochaska, Ph.D., Founder of Pro-Change Behavior Systems, Inc. at the sixth Annual Information Therapy Conference in Park City, Utah.

The science for how we tailor interventions, target health information, and engage consumers is expanding rapidly. Dr. Prochaska spoke on how this new science can be effectively translated into Information Theory innovation. Following the key note, Kerry Evers, Ph.D. demonstrated Pro-Change’s LifeStyle management programs and how they are presently being used by Healthways, Inc.

Tibbetts Award Presented to Pro-Change

Pro-Change Behavior Systems, Inc. received a Tibbetts Award in recognition of significant achievements involving technological innovation related to the Small Business Innovation Research Program (SBIR). Pro-Change President & CEO, Janice M. Prochaska, accepted the award at a ceremony in Washington, D. C. on October 10, 2007. Pro-Change was selected for its outstanding SBIR research, dissemination, and commercialization of health behavior change programs funded by grants from the National Institutes of Health and the Centers for Disease and Prevention.

Named for Roland Tibbetts, acknowledged as the father of the SBIR Program, these prestigious national awards are given annually to small firms judged to exemplify the best in SBIR achievement. The Small Business Technology Council (SBTC), a council of the National Small Business Association, is the lead sponsor of the award.

Janice Prochaska with Roland Tibbetts, left and Jere Glover.

CDC Funds Development of Healthy Pregnancy Program

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has awarded Pro-Change a Phase I Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) grant to develop a computer-based healthy pregnancy program for underserved pregnant women. The program will offer tailored advice on smoking cessation and maintenance, stress management, and healthy eating. Dr. Leanne Mauriello, Principal Investigator, is leading formative research and pilot testing in collaboration with the Community Health Center, Inc. of Connecticut.

HealthString Signs Contract With Pro-Change

HealthString signed a contract with Pro-Change Behavior Systems, Inc. to license seven online Transtheoretical Model health behavior change programs: stress management, weight management, depression prevention, exercising regularly, smoking cessation, and managing high blood pressure and managing high cholesterol through medication adherence, diet, and exercise.

HealthString is a secure, online, dynamic personal health network that improves accessibility and use of important personal health information via the Internet. HealthString empowers individuals to proactively manage their health by enabling behavior changes that lead to a healthier lifestyle. With HealthString consumers have access to personal RN Health Coaches and technology to improve the quality of care and the quality of personal health.

Study Shows Pro-Change Programs Produce Multiple Behavior Changes

A study done at Oregon Health & Science University demonstrated that Motivational Interviewing and Pro-Change’s LifeStyle online programs produced significant multiple behavior changes. A total of 25.2% of eligible employees were recruited for the online Pro-Change interventions. Quality Health Solutions brokered the collaboration of Pro-Change, OHSU, and the University of Rhode Island for the grant funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

For more information, see:
Prochaska, J.O., et al., Initial efficacy of MI, TTM tailoring and HRI’s with multiple behaviors for employee health promotion, Preventive Medicine (2007).

Abstract:
Objective. This study was designed to compare the initial efficacy of Motivational Interviewing (MI), Online Transtheoretical Model (TTM)-tailored communications and a brief Health Risk Intervention (HRI) on four health risk factors (inactivity, BMI, stress and smoking) in a worksite sample.

Method. A randomized clinical trial assigned employees to one of three recruitment strategies and one of the three treatments. The treatment protocol included an HRI session for everyone and in addition either a recommended three TTM online sessions or three MI in person or telephone sessions over 6 months. At the initial post-treatment assessment at 6 months, groups were compared on the percentage who had progressed from at risk to taking effective action on each of the four risks.

Results. Compared to the HRI only group, the MI and TTM groups had significantly more participants in the Action stage for exercise and effective stress management and significantly fewer risk behaviors at 6 months. MI and TTM group outcomes were not different.

Conclusion. This was the first study to demonstrate that MI and online TTM could produce significant multiple behavior changes. Future research will examine the long-term impacts of each treatment, their cost effectiveness, effects on productivity and quality of life and process variables mediating outcomes.

Depression Prevention Research Grant Completed

Pro-Change has completed a Phase 2 NIH Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) grant for Depression Prevention.

Research Findings:

Nine hundred and two adults at risk for depression were recruited from primary care waiting rooms and by telephone. The treatment group received a stage-based manual and an individualized printed report in the mail at baseline, and additional individualized reports at 1 and 3 months follow-up. The treatment and control groups were assessed by phone at 0 and 9 months. At nine months with individuals who were in a pre-Action stage for depression prevention at baseline, treatment group participants were significantly more likely than controls to experience a clinically significant reduction in depression (37% vs. 17%, respectively), to be in the Action or Maintenance stage for depression prevention (70% vs. 55% respectively), and to be taking antidepressant medication if prescribed (71% vs. 50%). Among study participants who were in the Action or Maintenance stage at baseline, the intervention prevented the onset of depression (11% of treatment participants vs. 19% of control participants experienced a new episode of Major Depression during the follow-up period).

Pro-Change Celebrates 10th Anniversary

Ten years ago today, Pro-Change began as a company with its first contract with Electronic Data Systems (EDS).