Quality of Life and Related Factors in Patients with Chronic Heart Failure

Background and Aim: Health-related quality of life (HRQOL) is an important clinical outcome in patients with chronic Heart failure (CHF). The aim of this study was to evaluate HRQOL in patients with CHF and determine its relationship with demographic and clinical variables. Materials and Methods: In this cross-sectional descriptivecorrelational study, 200 patients with CHF were selected from clients referring to teaching hospitals affiliated to Tehran University of Medical Sciences. They were interviewed to complete demographic and clinical questionnaires and the Kansas City Cardiomyopathy Questionnaire (KCCQ).  Some clinical variables were extracted from their medical records. KCCQ was used to measure their HRQOL. Descriptive statistics, independent t-test and ANOVA were used for data analysis. Results: Self–efficacy domain had the highest score (mean=61, SD=18.31) and physical symptoms had the lowest (mean=42.92, SD=13.45) in HRQOL. There was a significant relationship between HRQOL and 4 demographic variables: sex, educational level, economic condition, as well as occupational status and also between HRQOL and clinical variables including: duration of illness, number of hospitalizations, non-cardiac diseases, ejection fraction, diuretic consumption and body mass index there was a statistically significant relationship. Conclusion: Patients with CHF had low HRQOL. Nurses and healthcare providers should plan care and programs to reduce frequency, severity and symptoms of heart failure and help improve HRQOL in these patients.

Quality of Life and Related Factors in Patients with Chronic Heart Failure Keywords:

Chronic diseases , Health-related quality of life (HRQOL) , Heart failure. , بیماری های مزمن , کیفیت زندگی مرتبط با سلامتی , نارسایی قلبی