Determinants of heart failure self-care behaviors

Individuals with heart failure (HF) must perform self-care behaviors to prevent hospitalization. Self-care practices and the factors that influence performance of self-care are essential to maintaining health and preventing hospitalization (Schnell-Hoehn, Naimark, & Tate, 2009). The purpose of this cross sectional study is to examine self-care behaviors and the determinants of engaging in these behaviors in community-dwelling HF patients. This is a replication of a study conducted by Schnell-Hoehn et al. The framework is Connelly’s model of self-care in chronic illness (Connelly, 1987). A convenience sample of 50 HF patients will be recruited from two small northwestern Indiana hospital HF clinics. The Self-Care Heart Failure Index will be utilized to measure self-care behaviors and self-efficacy. Enabling variables will be measured utilizing the Kansas City Cardiomyopathy Questionnaire, the General Well-Being Schedule, Sociodemographic and Clinical Variable Questionnaire, and the Charlson Co-Morbidity Index. The findings will provide information on variables that influence engagement in self-care behaviors allowing for individualized interventions and education to improve HF patient outcomes.School of NursingThesis (M.S.