Observation of risk perception, knowledge and behaviour related to covid-19 in heart failure patients enrolled on a telecoaching program.

Publication date: Jun 22, 2026

Telemedical interventions have been shown to reduce mortality and morbidity and improve the quality of life of chronic heart failure (CHF) patients. During the Covid-19 pandemic remote coaching gained further importance; however, it is not clear if Covid-19-specific telecoaching has a long-lasting impact on behaviour change. Patients were pre-existing participants in a combined tele-monitoring and telecoaching programme for CHF. A total of 419 patients were assessed with a standardised questionnaire immediately before and three weeks after a COVID-19-specific telecoaching in April 2020, as well as eight months later. The aim of the study was to observe changes in knowledge and behaviour regarding COVID-19 risk reduction measures, number of medical contacts and self-perceived health risk over time following the telecoaching module. After telecoaching, patients spontaneously recalled significantly more COVID-19-specific risk reduction measures rising from an average of 2. 1 items prior to coaching to 2. 5 at short- and long-term follow-up (p = 0. 0002). The number of self-reported medical contacts were significantly lower at short-term than at long-term follow-up (30% vs. 42%, p = 0. 0060 family doctor, 5% vs. 12%, p = 0. 0014 hospital). CHF patients perceived themselves as low risk for a severe COVID-19 infection, and this perception did not change after telecoaching. No difference in social isolation or concern over time were noted. Our longitudinal observational study suggests a possible effect of a single COVID-19-specific telecoaching module on knowledge about the disease and complying with risk reduction measures, which seems to persist over time. These results should be interpreted with caution in the context of increasing public awareness and public health campaigns.

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