Angela Massouh1, Hadi Skouri2, Paul Cook3, Huda Abu Saad Huijer1, Maurice Khoury4, Paula Meek3. 1. American University of Beirut, School of Nursing, Lebanon. 2. American University of Beirut Medical Center, Department of Cardiology, Lebanon. Electronic address: hs13@aub.edu.lb. 3. University of Colorado, Denver; College of Nursing, United States. 4. American University of Beirut Medical Center, Department of Cardiology, Lebanon.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Literature highlights the influence of self-care confidence on self-care in patients with heart failure (HF), but little is known whether it explains the influence of other determinants of self-care. OBJECTIVES: To examine whether confidence explained the associations of social support and HF-knowledge with self-care. METHODS: In a descriptive, correlational study, 100 patients with HF completed questionnaires on self-care, social support, and HF-specific knowledge. Regression analyses were used to examine associations between perceived support and HF-knowledge and self-care. RESULTS: Self-care confidence mediated the association between social support and self-care maintenance (path reduced from Beta = 0.713 to 0.395) and HF-knowledge and maintenance (path reduced from Beta = 2.569 to 1.798) and management (path reduced from Beta = -0.272 to -0.144). CONCLUSION: Self-care confidence explains the influence of social support and knowledge on self-care. Supporting self-care confidence may be a key target for interventions to improve disease management and behaviors in patients with HF.
BACKGROUND: Literature highlights the influence of self-care confidence on self-care in patients with heart failure (HF), but little is known whether it explains the influence of other determinants of self-care. OBJECTIVES: To examine whether confidence explained the associations of social support and HF-knowledge with self-care. METHODS: In a descriptive, correlational study, 100 patients with HF completed questionnaires on self-care, social support, and HF-specific knowledge. Regression analyses were used to examine associations between perceived support and HF-knowledge and self-care. RESULTS: Self-care confidence mediated the association between social support and self-care maintenance (path reduced from Beta = 0.713 to 0.395) and HF-knowledge and maintenance (path reduced from Beta = 2.569 to 1.798) and management (path reduced from Beta = -0.272 to -0.144). CONCLUSION: Self-care confidence explains the influence of social support and knowledge on self-care. Supporting self-care confidence may be a key target for interventions to improve disease management and behaviors in patients with HF.