Family Caregiver Contribution to Self-care of Heart Failure: An Application of the Information-Motivation-Behavioral Skills Model.
BACKGROUND
Adherence to self-care behaviors improves outcomes of patients with heart failure (HF). Caregivers play an important role in contributing to self-care.


OBJECTIVE
We aimed to explore the relationships among HF knowledge, perceived control, social support, and family caregiver contribution to self-care of HF, based on the Information-Motivation-Behavioral Skills Model.


METHODS
Two hundred forty-seven dyads of eligible patients with HF and family caregivers were recruited from a general hospital in China. Structural equation modeling was used to analyze the data obtained with the Caregiver Contribution to Self-care of Heart Failure Index, the Heart Failure Knowledge Test, the Control Attitudes Scale, and the Social Support Rating Scale.


RESULTS
In this model, caregiver contribution to self-care maintenance was positively affected by perceived control (β = .148, P = .015) and caregiver confidence in contribution to self-care (β = .293, P < .001). Caregiver contribution to self-care management was positively affected by HF knowledge (β = .270, P < .001), perceived control (β = .140, P = .007), social support (β = .123, P = .019), caregiver confidence in contribution to self-care (β = .328, P < .001), and caregiver contribution to self-care maintenance (β = .148, P = .006). Caregiver confidence in contribution to self-care was positively affected by HF knowledge (β = .334, P < .001).


CONCLUSIONS
Heart failure knowledge, perceived control, and social support facilitated family caregiver contribution to self-care of HF. Targeted interventions that consider these variables may effectively improve family caregiver contributions to self-care.
Yuxia Chen, BM, RN, MSN(c) MSN Candidate, School of Nursing, Shandong University, Jinan, PR China. Huijing Zou, BM, RN, MSN(c) MSN Candidate, School of Nursing, Shandong University, Jinan, PR China. Yanting Zhang, BSN, RN, MSN(c) MSN Candidate, School of Nursing, Shandong University, Jinan, PR China. Wenjie Fang, BM, RN, MSN(c) MSN Candidate, School of Nursing, Shandong University, Jinan, PR China. Xiuzhen Fan, PhD, RN Professor, School of Nursing, Shandong University, Jinan, PR China.
Yuxia
Y
Chen
Huijing
H
Zou
Yanting
Y
Zhang
Wenjie
W
Fang
Xiuzhen
X
Fan
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D017028:Caregivers / Q000523:psychology*; D002681:China; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D015438:Health Behavior; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009042:Motivation; D012648:Self Care; D012649:Self Concept; D012944:Social Support