The effect of a single visit to a health coach on perceived health in 50-year old residents in a high-income country – a randomised controlled trial

Abstract

Objective To evaluate the one-year-effect of a single visit to a health coach on perceived health and exercise level in 50-year-old citizens. Design One factor design randomised controlled trial. Setting Participants were randomly selected from the Swedish Population Register. Subjects 50-year-old residents of the town of Alingsås, Sweden (n = 105). Intervention The intervention group (n = 52) received a single one-hour visit to a health coach. The control group (n = 53) received no intervention. Main outcome measures Change over 12 months in the SF-36 dimensions physical functioning, role-physical, bodily pain, general health, vitality, social functioning, role-emotional, mental health, physical component summary and mental component summary. Reported health transition at follow-up. Change in exercise level. Results The control group changed their perceived health more favourable than the intervention group in the following dimensions of the SF-36; general health (p = 0.0055–0.025), role-emotional (p = 0.034–0.040) and mental component summary (p = 0.033–0.073). Conclusion A single visit to a health coach does not improve perceived health or exercise-level in 50-year-old citizens. On the contrary it may make perceived health worse. Key points Research on health coaching has emerged in the last 20 years, but is diverse and the characteristics of a successful health coaching intervention are still unknown. There is a lack of randomised controlled trials evaluating long-term effectiveness of health coaching. This randomised controlled trial concludes that a single visit to a health coach does not improve, but rather impairs, perceived health in 50-year olds.