Gender differences in health perceptions and meaning in persons living with heart failure.
OBJECTIVE
The goal of this study was to determine whether gender differences exist in health perceptions, psychosocial adjustment to illness, and concerns related to illness in patients with heart failure (HF).


METHODS
Thirty-two patients (50% women) from a single outpatient HF clinic were asked to complete standardized tools to assess health perceptions and psychosocial adjustment to illness. Open-ended questions were used to obtain data on concerns related to HF.


RESULTS
The women had higher health perceptions than men did; they also demonstrated better psychosocial adjustment to illness. The qualitative data further suggest that women ascribed more positive meanings to their illness than men did.


CONCLUSIONS
The current study underscored the importance of gender differences in health perceptions related to HF. Patient teaching and counseling can be tailored to address the gender-specific concerns of men and women suffering with this condition to improve patient outcomes.
Evangelista
L S
LS
California State University, Los Angeles, Department of Nursing, California 91321, USA.
Kagawa-Singer
M
M
Dracup
K
K
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001294:Attitude to Health; D017281:Cost of Illness; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D005260:Female; D015438:Health Behavior; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000191:economics / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012727:Sex Characteristics; D012803:Sick Role