title: Factors associated with perceived control and the relationship to quality of life in patients with heart failure.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Health-related quality of life (HRQOL) is as important as survival to patients with heart failure (HF). Perceptions of loss of control are common in HF and negatively affect HRQOL. Knowledge of modifiable factors associated with perceived control could guide the development of interventions to improve perceived control and thus HRQOL. Accordingly, this study examined factors related to perceived control and the relationship between perceived control and HRQOL.
  
  
  METHODS
  Patients (N=232, mean age 61 ± 12, 67% male, 78% Caucasian) provided data on HRQOL (Minnesota Living with Heart Failure questionnaire), perceived control (Control Attitudes Scale-Revised), and factors possibly associated with perceived control (knowledge and barriers (Heart Failure Knowledge and Barriers to Adherence Scale), attitudes (Dietary Sodium Restriction Questionnaire), and social support (Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support)). Patients also provided data on depressive symptoms, which were a covariate of HRQOL. Hierarchical multiple regression analysis was used to analyze the data.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Fewer barriers to following a low sodium diet, more positive attitudes toward following a low sodium diet, and better social support were related to higher perceived control (F=7.54, R(2)=0.17, p<0.001). Perceived control was independently associated with HRQOL, controlling for depressive symptoms, New York Heart Association functional class, age, gender, and all variables possibly associated with perceived control (F=29.67, R(2)=0.55, p<0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Interventions targeting attitudes and barriers to a low sodium diet and social support may improve perceived control and, in turn, HRQOL.
authors.affiliation: College of Nursing, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, USA sheo@uams.edu.
authors.forename: Seongkum
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Heo
authors.affiliation: College of Nursing, University of Kentucky, USA.
authors.forename: Terry A
authors.initials: TA
authors.lastname: Lennie
authors.affiliation: School of Nursing, University of Michigan, USA.
authors.forename: Susan J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Pressler
authors.affiliation: School of Nursing, Emory University, USA.
authors.forename: Sandra B
authors.initials: SB
authors.lastname: Dunbar
authors.affiliation: College of Nursing, University of Kentucky, USA.
authors.forename: Misook L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Chung
authors.affiliation: College of Nursing, University of Kentucky, USA.
authors.forename: Debra K
authors.initials: DK
authors.lastname: Moser
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003863:Depression; D005260:Female; D015438:Health Behavior; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006304:Health Status; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000150:complications / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy; D006801:Humans; D007389:Internal-External Control; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011788:Quality of Life; D012649:Self Concept; D012944:Social Support; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
keywords: Heart failure; attitudes; barriers; perceived control; quality of life