Adherence to self-care behavior and factors related to this behavior among patients with heart failure in Japan.
BACKGROUND
Adherence to self-care behavior is important for patients with heart failure (HF) to prevent exacerbation of HF. The aim of this study was to evaluate adherence, identify associated factors, and clarify the impact of previous HF hospitalizations on adherence in outpatients with HF.


METHODS
A total of 116 outpatients completed a questionnaire, including the Japanese version of the European Heart Failure Self-Care Behavior Scale, to assess adherence.


RESULTS
Regardless of previous hospitalizations, adherence to seek help if HF worsened was poor. Multivariate analysis adjusted for age and brain natriuretic peptide showed that diabetes mellitus and being employed were independent predictors of poorer adherence to self-care behavior (P = .03, P = .02, respectively), but the experience of previous HF hospitalizations was not a predictor.


CONCLUSIONS
Self-care strategies for HF should target patients with diabetes mellitus and employed patients. Further study is necessary to develop effective programs for such patients.
Kato
Naoko
N
Department of Adult Nursing/Palliative Care Nursing, The University of Tokyo, Japan.
Kinugawa
Koichiro
K
Ito
Naomi
N
Yao
Atsushi
A
Watanabe
Masafumi
M
Imai
Yasushi
Y
Takeda
Norihiko
N
Hatano
Masaru
M
Kazuma
Keiko
K
D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000368:Aged; D001007:Anxiety / Q000209:etiology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003863:Depression / Q000209:etiology*; D003920:Diabetes Mellitus; D018450:Disease Progression; D004651:Employment; D005260:Female; D015438:Health Behavior; D006306:Health Surveys; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000150:complications*; D006801:Humans; D007564:Japan; D008297:Male; D055118:Medication Adherence; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D020097:Natriuretic Peptide, Brain; D011594:Psychometrics; D012044:Regression Analysis; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012648:Self Care; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000150:complications*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
D020097:Natriuretic Peptide, Brain