Predictors of physical activity in patients with heart failure: a questionnaire study.

BACKGROUND: Adequate physical activity is believed to help decrease readmission and improve quality of life for patients with heart failure (HF). OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to explore the predictors of physical activity level 1 month after discharge from hospital in Taiwanese patients with HF. METHOD: A prospective research design was used. Overall, 111 patients with HF from a medical center in Southern Taiwan were recruited. Symptomatic distress, self-efficacy for physical activity, physical activity knowledge, and demographic and disease characteristics of patients with HF were collected at their discharge. One month later, patients' total daily energy expenditure (DEE), DEE for low-intensity physical activities (PA(low) DEE; strictly <3 metabolic equivalents [METs]), DEE for high-intensity physical activities (PA(high) DEE; 3-5 METs), and DEE for intensive-intensity physical activities (PA(intensive) DEE; strictly >5 METs) were collected. RESULTS: The mean total DEE was 8175.85 ± 2595.12 kJ 24 h, of which 19.12% was for PAlow DEE, 7.20% was for PA(high) DEE, and only 1.42% was for PA(intensive) DEE. Body mass index (BMI), age, self-efficacy for instrumental activities of daily living, and educational level were predictors of total DEE of patients with HF 1 month after discharge. Self-efficacy for instrumental activities of daily living, gender, and BMI were predictors of PA(high) DEE. Age, BMI, and symptom distress were predictors of PA(intensive) DEE. CONCLUSIONS: Taiwanese patients with HF practiced lower intensity physical activities. Factors related to physical activity of patients with HF in Taiwan were similar to those of Western countries. Nurses should emphasize the importance of physical activity to patients with HF who are male, of older age, with lower educational level, or with lower BMI. Improving self-efficacy for instrumental activities and decreasing symptom distress should be incorporated into discharge planning programs for patients with HF.

[Quality of life and associated factors in patients with heart failure].

BACKGROUND: Heart failure is a chronic and exacerbating disease, which often significantly decreases patient quality of life (QOL). Treatments continue to focus on alleviating the physical symptoms of this disease, and data on QOL factors are limited. PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to explore QOL and associated factors in patients with heart failure. METHODS: A cross-sectional and correlational research design was conducted using the Kansas City Cardiomyopathy Questionnaire, Beck Depression Inventory-II, and the World Health Organization Quality of Life Assessment. A convenience sample of 200 patients aged 20 years old or above and diagnosed with heart failure were recruited from one medical center and one regional teaching hospital in southern Taiwan. Data were analyzed using SPSS 14.0 software. RESULTS: Results found (1) participants had an average QOL index score of 63.0 (moderate); (2) significant differences in QOL scores for the variables of marriage, occupation type, monthly family income, concomitant diabetes/hypertension, number of complications, and treatment type; (3) participants had an average index score for symptoms of 54.1 (moderate) that was significantly correlated with QOL; (4) a majority of participants were classified in NYHA Class II, mean score of depression was 9.13±6.25 (normal), and functional status and depression were significantly related to QOL; and (5) 59.3% of QOL variance was explained by depression, symptoms and family income per month. CONCLUSIONS: This study may help health professionals to understand relationships among symptoms, functional status, depression and QOL in heart failure patients. It may also provide healthcare professionals evidence-based data necessary to further improve symptoms, functional status and depression in heart failure patients, and thus significantly improve QOL in patients with heart failure.