Relationship between illness-related worries and social dignity in patients with heart failure.
BACKGROUND
Heart failure is a major growing problem and affects not only patients but also their families and community networks and reduces the functional capacity of patients and impairs their social life.


OBJECTIVE
This study was conducted to investigate relationship between illness-related worries and social dignity in patients with heart failure.


METHODS
The study had a descriptive-analytic design, and data collection was carried out by means of two specific questionnaires. Participants and context: A total of 130 inpatients from cardiac wards in hospitals affiliated with Tehran and Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences participated. Ethical consideration: This study was approved by the Research Committee of Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences.


RESULTS
The highest mean score of illness-related worries was attributed to the dimension of patient's worry of physical-mental complications, and the least mean score was related to the dimension of the worry about the future of disease. The highest mean score of social dignity was associated with the dimension of social communication and support, and the least is attributed to the dimension of burden to others (economic). Pearson's statistical test showed a significant correlation (r = 0.455, p < 0.05) between the score of illness-related worries and social dignity.


CONCLUSIONS
As the result of this study showed that reducing illness-related worries in patients with heart failure can improve their social dignity, using strategies to decrease worries and promote social dignity in these patients is recommended.


CONCLUSIONS
This study affirms the importance of careful evaluation of individual patients to determine their needs related to dignity. We hope these results will help to promote actions by patient-care staff that honor and support patient dignity, resulting in benefits to patients and developing the quality of care based on human rights.
Shahroud University of Medical Sciences, Shahroud, Iran.|Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Iran.
Hossein
H
Bagheri
Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Iran.
Farideh
F
Yaghmaei
Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Iran.
Tahereh
T
Ashktorab
Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Iran.
Farid
F
Zayeri
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001007:Anxiety / Q000209:etiology*; D001294:Attitude to Health; D064646:Cardiovascular Nursing; D005260:Female; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000451:nursing / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D028723:Personhood; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
Dignity; disease; heart failure; illness-related worries; social dignity