title: Characteristics associated with racial disparities in illness beliefs of patients with heart failure.
abstract: African Americans have greater misperceptions about heart failure (HF) than Caucasians. We examined socioeconomic and medical history factors to determine if they explain differences in accuracy of HF illness beliefs by race. 519 patients completed an illness beliefs and socioeconomic status survey. After establishing univariate associations by race, linear regression with backward selection was used to identify factors associated with HF illness beliefs accuracy. HF illness beliefs were less accurate among African Americans (p < .01). In multivariate models, race remained a predictor of HF illness beliefs accuracy, as did education level and living status (all ps < or = .01). Illness beliefs of African Americans were inaccurate and independently associated with social support and education level. Health care providers must consider patient education processes as a possible cause of differences and focus on what and how they teach, literacy level, materials used, and family engagement and education.
authors.affiliation: Nursing Institute and the Kaufman Center for Heart Failure, Cleveland Clinic, 9500 Euclid Avenue, Mail code J3-4, Cleveland, OH 44195, USA. albertn@ccf.org
authors.forename: Nancy M
authors.initials: NM
authors.lastname: Albert
authors.forename: Kathleen
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Trochelman
authors.forename: Kathryn H
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Meyer
authors.forename: Benjamin
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Nutter
mesh_terms: D001741:Black or African American; D000367:Age Factors; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001294:Attitude to Health / Q000208:ethnology*; D015331:Cohort Studies; D016208:Databases, Factual; D004522:Educational Status; D005260:Female; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D016014:Linear Models; D008297:Male; D044469:Racial Groups; D012944:Social Support; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014481:United States