title: The association between cognitive function and self-care in patients with chronic heart failure.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Self-care requires that patients learn to care for themselves. Cognitive impairment and depression can decrease the ability and interest in performing self-care. The objectives were to explore the association between cognitive function and self-care in heart failure patients, and to examine if this association was moderated by symptoms of depression.
  
  
  METHODS
  This cross-sectional study included 105 heart failure patients in NYHA II-IV, median age 72 years. Self-care was measured with the European Heart Failure Self-Care Behavior Scale, cognitive function with a neuropsychological battery, and depressive symptoms were measured with the Patient Health Questionnaire. The associations between the study variables were examined with multiple regression analyses.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Psychomotor speed was the only cognitive dimension significantly associated with self-care. The association between psychomotor speed and self-care was not moderated by symptoms of depression.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Deficits in psychomotor speed have implications for how patients should be educated and supported to perform self-care.
authors: Department of Medical and Health Sciences, Division of Nursing Science, Linköping University, Sweden; Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, County Council of Östergötland, Sweden. Electronic address: carina.hjelm@liu.se.
authors: Carina M
authors: CM
authors: Hjelm
authors: Department of Clinical Neurophysiology, County Council of Östergötland, Sweden; Department of Nursing Science, School of Health Sciences, Jönköping University, Sweden.
authors: Anders
authors: A
authors: Broström
authors: Department of Medical and Health Sciences, Division of Nursing Science, Linköping University, Sweden; University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing, Philadelphia, USA.
authors: Barbara
authors: B
authors: Riegel
authors: Department of Medical and Health Sciences, Division of Nursing Science, Linköping University, Sweden; School of Health and Caring Sciences, Linnaeus University Kalmar, Sweden.
authors: Kristofer
authors: K
authors: Årestedt
authors: Department of Medical and Health Sciences, Division of Nursing Science, Linköping University, Sweden; Department of Cardiology, County Council of Östergötland, Sweden.
authors: Anna
authors: A
authors: Strömberg
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002908:Chronic Disease; D003071:Cognition / Q000502:physiology*; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003863:Depression / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012648:Self Care / Q000379:methods*
keywords: Cognitive function; Depression; Heart failure; Psychomotor speed; Self-care