Abstract
Objective: This study aims to explore the influence of patient activation (PA) and relational aspects on the quality of life (QoL) in patients with Atrial Fibrillation (AF) for developing measures to improve PA and QoL.Methods: A cross-sectional study was undertaken in 2021 among 190 AF patients in Nanjing, China. Research instruments included a self-designed social-demographic characteristics scale, the Patient Activation Measure (PAM), the Atrial Fibrillation Effect on Quality of Life (AFEQT). The data analysis was performed using IBM SPSS 25.0. Spearman correlation analysis, multiple linear regression analysis, and Wilcoxon rank-sum tests were used to assess the association accordingly.Results: The average AFEQT score for the 190 AF patients was 69.32 ± 14.52. The distribution of activation Levels 1, 2, 3, and 4, were where 4.7, 34.2, 47.4, and 13.7%, respectively. The multiple linear regression analysis revealed that patient activation, work status, and cardiac rehabilitation of AF patients predicted AF-related QoL (β = 0.270, −0.205, and 0.183, respectively; all P < 0.05). The influences of PA level on subdimensions of AF-related QoL were as follows: symptoms, daily activities and treatment concern.Conclusion: The level of QoL of patients with AF was moderate. Higher levels of patient activation in those with AF were associated with milder symptoms, more positive daily activities and fewer treatment concern. Based on our findings, we suggest that healthcare personnel should encourage AF patients to take active participation in cardiac rehabilitation, disease self-management and foster progression of PA level. Future research is warranted to develop tailor-made interventions aimed at the activation level.
Highlights
Prevalent of chronic illnesses are increasing rapidly due to population aging
The Influence of Patient Activation Level on Quality of Life and Its Subdimensions We found that the symptom score was lower in level 2 compared to level 4 patients (P = 0.049) and lower in level 3 compared to level 4 (P = 0.024)
This study assessed the current quality of life living with atrial fibrillation, determined the association of Atrial fibrillation (AF)-related QoL and patient activation levels, sociodemographic characteristics
Summary
Prevalent of chronic illnesses are increasing rapidly due to population aging. The diminished quality of life in elderly population has fostered the general concern and leads to an increasing demand for optimizing care and health-related quality of life (QoL) (Jiang et al, 2017; Thomas et al, 2020; Jing et al, 2021). Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common sustained arrhythmia and usually not life-threatening. It is a significant public health issue among the increasingly elderly population which seriously affects the quality of life. In a large national representative, community-based study, the weighted AF prevalence for age >45 years old was 1.8% in China (Du et al, 2021). In 2000, the Working Group on Atrial Fibrillation of the European Society of Cardiology emphasized that clinicians should include healthrelated QoL as important indicators of assessment of treatment outcomes (Camm et al, 2012)
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