Knowledge regarding Heart Failure: A Reflection on Current Disease Knowledge State among Iranian Patients with Heart Failure

Abstract

Background: Heart failure (HF) is a serious problem with an increasing prevalence globally. Low level of HF knowledge may cause low compliance and low quality of life and, poor self-care. On the other hand, assessing the level of HF knowledge is necessary in order to apply educational programs. Aims and objectives: the aim was to determine knowledge regarding HF among Iranian patients with HF. Study Design: This was a cross sectional study. Setting: We conducted this study at the HF clinic of Tehran Heart Center (THC) affiliated with Tehran University of Medical Sciences (TUMS, Tehran, Iran). Materials and Methods: In this cross-sectional study, 190 patients older than 18 years old, with confirmed diagnosis of HF for at least 3 months by an HF specialist, NYHA function class II to IV and an ability of reading and writing Farsi language were included during June 2017 and January 2018 by consecutive sampling. Data were gathered in a short form, including demographic and clinical variables. Knowledge regarding HF was measured by the Dutch HF knowledge scale (Cronbach’s alpha=0.62) with 15- multiple choice item. The score range varied between 0 (no knowledge) and 15 (optimum knowledge). Scores were reported totally and in 3 areas of knowledge. Scores higher than the median was considered as higher knowledge. Statistics: The SPSS software version 16 was used to describe data. Normality of continuous variables was checked by the Kolmogorov-Smirnoff test. Frequency and partial frequency distribution were used to describe Categorical variables. While, we used mean, median, standard deviation, and IQR for describing continuous variables. Results: From June 2017 to January 2018, 160/190 patients with median age (IQR) of 59 (16) years old participated in the study (response rate of 84.2%). 67.5% of study patients were male (83.5%). 87.5% of then were married. The majority of patients were with NYHA function class II (60.6%), and with an etiology of ischemic heart disease (65.0%). The median and IQR of total, general, HF treatment, and symptoms/ symptom recognition knowledge were 8 (7-10), 12 (9-14), 2 (1.25-3), and 4 (3-5), respectively. Low level of total, general, HF treatment, and symptoms and symptom recognition knowledge among Iranian patients with HF were 55%, 60%, 58.8%, and 71.9%, respectively. Conclusion: Patients with HF had low levels of total, general, HF treatment, and symptoms/symptom recognition knowledge. Thus, there is an essential need to be improved by an appropriate intervention, especially on knowledge of symptoms /symptom recognition.