Burden of Chronic Heart Failure on Caregivers: A Multinational Cross-Sectional Survey in Real World Setting

Abstract

A623 (QoL) and work ability (WA) in Slovak Republic. Methods: The sample consisted of 99 patients, 41 women and 58 men, with average age being 63,7 years. 15 patients were classified in NYHA I, 48 patients-NYHA II and 36 patients-NYHA III. The average duration of disease was 3,6 years. Primary method used for the analysis of QoL was a combined questionnaire consisting of 6 parts: A. Demography, B1. Clinical part filled out by physician, B2. Clinical part filled out by patient, C. Quality of life, D. Socioeconomic part, E. EQ5DL. QoL and WA were evaluated on numeric scales from 0-the worst to 10-the best. T-test, Mann-Whitney, Wilcoxon, Kruskal-Wallis and Friedman tests and Spearman correlation were used in results evaluation. Results: Significant statistical differences in QoL were found: in the time of best health-9,18, without CHF-8,15 in the time of diagnosis-5,76, in the time of acceptance in hospital-3,98 and in the time of full treatment-5,01. The results gained in WA were: 9,36 vs 8,43 vs 5,71 vs 3,69 vs 4,55. The results from QoL and WA were in strong correlation. Foreknowledge of disease (1-the worst, 5-the best) was 3,55, satisfaction with medical care-3,7and nursing care-3,8. Willingness to pay was for full health withou CHF was 67,9 € monthly by average monthly income 427,1 €. ConClusions: CHF has a significant impact on patients' QoL and WA. There are significant differences in both areas in duration of CHF. The treatment had positive impact on QoL and WA. Higher grade of NYHA had worse QoL and WA.

Determinants of caregiver burden in heart failure: does caregiver contribution to heart failure patient self-care increase caregiver burden?

“…Instead, older caregivers seem to have wider problems associated with the burden because caregivers’ older age predicted four out of the six tested models. Different from other studies in which more hours devoted to caregiving predicted a higher burden, 38,41 in our study we saw the contrary in relation to social and emotional burden – that is – higher social and emotional burden was predicted by fewer hours of caregiving per week. Actually, the social burden measured by the CBI considers the relations with other family members, job colleagues and friends, which could be affected by caregiving.…”