SELF-CARE BEHAVIOR AND ASSOCIATED FACTORS AMONG ADULT HEART FAILURE PATIENTS IN OUTPATIENT CARDIAC FOLLOW-UP UNIT AT WACHEMO UNIVERSITY NIGIST ELENI COMPREHENSIVE SPECIALIZED HOSPITAL, SOUTHERN ETHIOPIA

Abstract

Heart failure is a serious medical condition that occurs when the heart is unable to pump sufficient blood to meet the needs of the tissues for oxygen and nutrients. Good self-care is an essential behavior in long term management and maintenance of physiologic stability, better medical and person-centered outcomes. Poor self-care behavior deteriorates the outcomes of heart failure patients. However, there were no sufficient evidences that illustrate the topic in the country, including the study area. Objective: the aim of this study was to assess the level of self-care behavior and associated factors among adult heart failure patients at outpatient cardiac follow-up unit of Wachemo University Nigst Eleni Comprehensive Specialized Hospital, Hossana. Methods: Institutional based cross-sectional study was conducted among 250 heart failure patients from July 5-August 4, 2021. All adult heart failure patients who fulfill the inclusion criteria and have appointment during study period were included in the study. Interviewer assisted structured questionnaire and medical chart review was used to collect data. Epidata version 3.1 and SPSS version 20 were used for data entry and analysis respectively. Bivariate and multivariable analysis was computed. Variables with a p-value ≤0.25 significance level in the bivariate logistic regression were entered into multivariable logistic regression model to control confounding. Variables with a p-value <0.05 in multivariable logistic regression were considered as statistically significant. The model fitness was checked by Hosmer and Lemeshow test. Results: From the total of heart failure patients planned to include in the study, 240 eligible were interviewed with the response rate of 96%. Among these, 140(58.3%) [95% CI: 52.6, 64.9] had poor self-care behavior. Age>54: 9.891 [2.228, 43.922], poor knowledge: 6.980[1.065, 45.727], depression: 4.973[1.107, 22.338], low social support: 6.060[1.373, 26.739], insomnia: 4.801[1.019, 22.622] and duration with HF<1 year: 5.782[1.438, 23.247] were factors associated with poor SCB. Conclusion: In this study, more than half of participants attending at WUNECSH in outpatient cardiac follow-up unit had poor self-care behavior. Of the study variables, older age, poor knowledge, depressive symptoms, low social support, insomnia and short duration with heart failure were related with poor self-care behavior. Thus, the findings highlight importance of assessing level of self-care behavior and implicate direction to take action to enhance level of SCB