A new behavioral program to boost activity after a heart event
Official title: A novel psychological-behavioral intervention to promote physical activity after acute coronary syndrome
Funded at Massachusetts General Hospital · NIH-11370580 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A new program uses friendly telephone coaching to help people recover after a heart attack by being more active and feeling more hopeful.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Massachusetts General Hospital NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Boston, United States) |
| Project start | June 1, 2022 |
| Project end | June 30, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $834,876 |
| NIH project number | 5R33HL158529-05 |
| Project ID | NIH-11370580 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults who have recently experienced acute coronary syndrome and are seeking to improve physical activity.
✕Less likely to help
Patients who are unable to participate in telephone-based interventions or who have contraindications to increased activity may not benefit.
What this research studies
If you’ve had an acute coronary syndrome, staying active is crucial for recovery. This project tests a telephone-based motivational approach to help patients start and maintain physical activity, potentially combined with brief psychological activities that boost optimism and positive mood. By delivering guidance over the phone, the program aims to reach more people than in-person programs. The study explores whether adding positive psychology elements to motivation coaching can lead to bigger and longer-lasting activity gains. It involves adults treated for ACS and will measure activity levels and well-being over time.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the program could offer a scalable way to increase activity and improve recovery after a heart event.
How similar studies have gone: Previous telephone motivational interviewing has increased activity in cardiac patients, but gains have been modest and this study adds positive psychology components to potentially boost effects.
Where this research is happening
-
Massachusetts General Hospital
Boston, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Huffman, Jeff C — Massachusetts General Hospital
- Study coordinator: Huffman, Jeff C
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About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.