Barriers to effective self-management in cardiac patients: The patient's experience

Abstract

Objective This paper identifies common obstacles impeding effective self-management among patients with heart disease and explores how for disadvantaged patients access barriers interfere with typical management challenges to undermine patients’ efforts to care for their illnesses. Methods We convened 33 focus group discussions with heart patients in 10 U.S. communities. Using content analysis, we identified and grouped the most common barriers that emerged in focus group discussions. Results We identified nine major themes reflecting issues related to patients’ ability to care for and manage their heart conditions. We grouped the themes into three domains of interest: (1) barriers that interfere with getting necessary services, (2) barriers that impede the monitoring and management of a heart condition on a daily basis, and (3) supports that enable self-management and improve care. Conclusion For disadvantaged populations, typical problems associated with self-management of a heart condition are aggravated by substantial obstacles to accessing care. Practice implications Ensuring disadvantaged patients with chronic heart conditions are linked to formal systems of care, such as cardiac rehabilitation programs, could better develop patients’ self-management skills, reduce barriers to receiving care and improve the overall health outcomes of these patients.