Ercole Vellone1, Roberta Fida, Valerio Ghezzi, Fabio D'Agostino, Valentina Biagioli, Marco Paturzo, Anna Strömberg, Rosaria Alvaro, Tiny Jaarsma. 1. Ercole Vellone, PhD, RN Research Fellow, Department of Biomedicine and Prevention, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Italy. Roberta Fida, PhD Lecturer in organizational behavior, Norwich Business School, University of East Anglia, Norwich, UK. Valerio Ghezzi, PhD Department of Psychology, Sapienza University, Rome, Italy. Fabio D'Agostino, PhD, RN Research Fellow, Department of Biomedicine and Prevention, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Italy. Valentina Biagioli, MSN, RN PhD Student, Department of Biomedicine and Prevention, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Italy. Marco Paturzo, MSN, RN PhD Student, Department of Biomedicine and Prevention, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Italy. Anna Strömberg, PhD, RN Professor, Department of Medicine and Care and Department of Cardiology, University of Linköping, Sweden. Rosaria Alvaro, MSN, RN Associate Professor, Department of Biomedicine and Prevention, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Italy. Tiny Jaarsma, PhD, RN Professor, Department of Social and Welfare Studies, University of Linköping, Norrköping, Sweden.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Self-care is important in heart failure (HF) treatment, but patients may have difficulties and be inconsistent in its performance. Inconsistencies in self-care behaviors may mirror patterns of self-care in HF patients that are worth identifying to provide interventions tailored to patients. OBJECTIVES: The aims of this study are to identify clusters of HF patients in relation to self-care behaviors and to examine and compare the profile of each HF patient cluster considering the patient's sociodemographics, clinical variables, quality of life, and hospitalizations. METHODS: This was a secondary analysis of data from a cross-sectional study in which we enrolled 1192 HF patients across Italy. A cluster analysis was used to identify clusters of patients based on the European Heart Failure Self-care Behaviour Scale factor scores. Analysis of variance and χ test were used to examine the characteristics of each cluster. RESULTS: Patients were 72.4 years old on average, and 58% were men. Four clusters of patients were identified: (1) high consistent adherence with high consulting behaviors, characterized by younger patients, with higher formal education and higher income, less clinically compromised, with the best physical and mental quality of life (QOL) and lowest hospitalization rates; (2) low consistent adherence with low consulting behaviors, characterized mainly by male patients, with lower formal education and lowest income, more clinically compromised, and worse mental QOL; (3) inconsistent adherence with low consulting behaviors, characterized by patients who were less likely to have a caregiver, with the longest illness duration, the highest number of prescribed medications, and the best mental QOL; (4) and inconsistent adherence with high consulting behaviors, characterized by patients who were mostly female, with lower formal education, worst cognitive impairment, worst physical and mental QOL, and higher hospitalization rates. CONCLUSION: The 4 clusters identified in this study and their associated characteristics could be used to tailor interventions aimed at improving self-care behaviors in HF patients.
BACKGROUND: Self-care is important in heart failure (HF) treatment, but patients may have difficulties and be inconsistent in its performance. Inconsistencies in self-care behaviors may mirror patterns of self-care in HF patients that are worth identifying to provide interventions tailored to patients. OBJECTIVES: The aims of this study are to identify clusters of HF patients in relation to self-care behaviors and to examine and compare the profile of each HF patient cluster considering the patient's sociodemographics, clinical variables, quality of life, and hospitalizations. METHODS: This was a secondary analysis of data from a cross-sectional study in which we enrolled 1192 HF patients across Italy. A cluster analysis was used to identify clusters of patients based on the European Heart Failure Self-care Behaviour Scale factor scores. Analysis of variance and χ test were used to examine the characteristics of each cluster. RESULTS:Patients were 72.4 years old on average, and 58% were men. Four clusters of patients were identified: (1) high consistent adherence with high consulting behaviors, characterized by younger patients, with higher formal education and higher income, less clinically compromised, with the best physical and mental quality of life (QOL) and lowest hospitalization rates; (2) low consistent adherence with low consulting behaviors, characterized mainly by male patients, with lower formal education and lowest income, more clinically compromised, and worse mental QOL; (3) inconsistent adherence with low consulting behaviors, characterized by patients who were less likely to have a caregiver, with the longest illness duration, the highest number of prescribed medications, and the best mental QOL; (4) and inconsistent adherence with high consulting behaviors, characterized by patients who were mostly female, with lower formal education, worst cognitive impairment, worst physical and mental QOL, and higher hospitalization rates. CONCLUSION: The 4 clusters identified in this study and their associated characteristics could be used to tailor interventions aimed at improving self-care behaviors in HF patients.
Authors: Pamela N Peterson; Larry A Allen; Paul A Heidenreich; Nancy M Albert; Ileana L Piña Journal: Circ Heart Fail Date: 2018-10 Impact factor: 8.790
Authors: Amitava Banerjee; Suliang Chen; Ghazaleh Fatemifar; Mohamad Zeina; R Thomas Lumbers; Johanna Mielke; Simrat Gill; Dipak Kotecha; Daniel F Freitag; Spiros Denaxas; Harry Hemingway Journal: BMC Med Date: 2021-04-06 Impact factor: 11.150