Living with heart failure during the COVID-19 pandemic: an interpretative phenomenological analysis

Abstract

Abstract Funding Acknowledgements Type of funding sources: None. Background The COVID-19 outbreak has presented significant challenges for healthcare systems worldwide, which are responsible for guaranteeing access to care for all patients and limiting the spread of the virus. The necessary changes in the healthcare systems have deeply impacted not only people affected by the novel coronavirus, but also those with chronic conditions, such as heart failure. Since the beginning of the pandemic, a reduction of routine visits and use of emergency services by patients with heart failure has been observed, and these patients have tended to visit the hospital only when their symptoms were severe. The consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic on heart failure patients’ lives have not yet been investigated. Purpose To explore the lived experiences of patients with heart failure during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods A qualitative investigation based on interpretative phenomenological analysis was conducted. Fourteen patients with heart failure (12 males and 2 females with a median age of 68 years) completed in-depth, semi-structured interviews. Triangulation, journaling and member checking were used to improve the rigour of the study. Results Three themes describing the lived experience of patients were identified: "being vulnerable", "hanging in the balance", and "coping strategies". Patients reported feeling particularly vulnerable to the novel coronavirus due to their clinical conditions, and therefore they experienced fear and anxiety. Changes in the healthcare systems due to the COVID-19 pandemic created a sense of uncertainty that patients described as a feeling of hanging in the balance. However, despite these relevant difficulties, heart failure patients have managed to deal with the situation using various coping strategies, such as acceptance, recreational activities, family reorganization, and use of technology. Conclusions The COVID-19 outbreak deeply affected the lives of patients with heart failure, and our results highlight the relevant difficulties they have faced. We point out that there is a great need for targeted interventions, and these could be developed taking into consideration the coping strategies described in the study.