Evaluation of Self-Care Behaviours of Patients with Heart Failure

Aim: The aim of this study was to evaluate the self-care behavior of patients with heart failure.

Method: This descriptive study was realized at the Cardiology Clinic of a University Training and Research Hospital. The research sample consisted of 66 patients hospitalized with a diagnosis of heart failure in cardiology clinic. The data were collected by socio-demographic form, patient follow-up form and The European Heart Failure Self-Care Behaviors Scale-12.

Results: The mean age of the patients was 67.00 ± 11.09 and 62.1% male, 51.5% for hypertension and 59.1% diabetes mellitus, 55.8% in class II according to New York Heart ssociation (NYH) Classification and total scores of patients in NYH classification was determined to be 2.3 ± 0.7. ccording to the results of the study, the average score of patients of self-care behavior was determined to be 43.00 ± 5.7. fter evaluation of self care behaviours of the subitems was determined to be partially sufficent in behaviors of patients ‘‘I weighed every day’’, ‘‘I do regular exercise’’, ‘‘I have fl u vaccination every year’’ and deficient in the other self-care behaviors. In addition, there was no statistically significant diff erence between sex and self-care behaviors with NYH classification (p> 0.05).

Conclusion: In our study, it was determined that the self-care behaviors of patients were deficient.