Self-care in heart failure inpatients: what Is the role of gender and pathophysiological characteristics? A cross-sectional multicentre study

Heart failure is often characterised by low exercise capacity and a great impairment of performance in the activities of daily living. The correct management of the disease can prevent the worsening of symptoms and promote a better quality of life. The aims of this study are to understand the relationship of gender and pathophysiological characteristics with self-care behaviour and to evaluate the self-care behaviour in a sample of Portuguese heart failure inpatients, using the Self-Care of Heart Failure Index (SCHFI). A cross-sectional multicentre study enrolling 225 heart failure inpatients from eight hospitals from Portugal was performed. At admission, each patient’s functional capacity was evaluated as well as their self-care behaviour, using the SCHFI Portuguese v6.2. A comparison between self-care behaviour with gender was performed. The patients’ mean age was 68.4 ± 10.7 years old, 68% were male and 82.3% had reduced ejection fraction. A mean value of 47.9, 35.6 and 38.8 points was found in the SCHFI score of the sections self-care maintenance, self-care management and self-care confidence, respectively. Heart failure inpatients present inadequate levels of self-care behaviour. The results do not suggest a relationship between gender and pathophysiological characteristics with self-care behaviour.

Keywords

Heart failure Physical activity Gender Nursing care Self-care behaviour

URI

http://hdl.handle.net/10198/23590

Citation

Delgado, Bruno; Lopes, Ivo; Mendes, Tânia; Lopes, Patrícia; Sousa, Luís; López-Espuela, Fidel; Preto, Leonel; Mendes, Eugénia; Gomes, Bárbara; Novo, André (2021). Self-care in heart failure inpatients: What is the role of gender and pathophysiological characteristics? a cross-sectional multicentre study. Healthcare. ISSN 2227-9032. 9:4, p. 1-11