title: Self-care in heart failure patients.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  to describe self-care behavior and its associated factors in a sample of heart failure Brazilian patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  descriptive cross-sectional study with non-probabilistic sample of 116 ambulatory patients undergoing heart failure treatment. Self-care was evaluated using the Self-Care of Heart Failure Index, (scores ≥70 points=appropriate self-care). Association tests were applied, considering a descriptive level of 0.05.
  
  
  RESULTS
  the mean age of participants was 57.7 (SD =11.3) years; 54.3% were male; the mean schooling was 5.5 (SD = 4.0) years; and 74.1% had functional class II-III. The mean scores on the subscales of the Self-Care of Heart Failure Index indicated inappropriate self-care (self-care maintenance: 53.2 (SD =14.3), selfcare management: 50.0 (SD = 20.3) and self-care confidence: 52.6 (SD=22.7)) and it was found low frequencies of participants with appropriate self-care (self-care maintenance, 6.9%), self-care management (14.7%) and self-care confidence (19%). Higher scores of the Self-Care of Heart Failure Index were associated with: reduced left ventricular ejection fraction (p=0.001), longer time of experience with the disease (p=0.05) and joint monitoring by physician and nurse (p=0.007).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  investments are needed to improve the self-care behavior and the nursing can play a relevant role in this improvement.
authors.affiliation: Escola de Enfermagem, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, BR.
authors.forename: Ana Paula
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: da Conceição
authors.affiliation: Escola de Enfermagem, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, BR.
authors.forename: Mariana Alvina
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: dos Santos
authors.affiliation: Escola de Enfermagem, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, BR.
authors.forename: Bernardo
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: dos Santos
authors.affiliation: Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, BR.
authors.forename: Diná de Almeida Lopes Monteiro
authors.initials: Dde A
authors.lastname: da Cruz
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012648:Self Care