Symptom Perception and Influencing Factors in Chinese Patients with Heart Failure: A Preliminary Exploration

Abstract

A growing body of evidence supports the fact that optimal health-related quality of life is largely dependent on patient competence in symptom perception. However, many studies have reported poor symptom perception in patients with heart failure. In China, there has been no previous research on assessing the symptom perception ability of patients with heart failure. This study aimed to describe how Chinese patients with heart failure perceive their symptoms, as well as to explore their influencing factors. A theory-based, descriptive, correlational cross-sectional design was used in this study. Data on symptom perception and factors related to symptom perception were collected via structured interviews and medical records. A convenience sample of 208 hospitalized patients was enrolled. The degree of symptom perception in this study was at a high level. The results showed that the level of depression, the New York Heart Association functional class, the left ventricular ejection fraction, and educational background were identified as independent factors of symptom perception in Chinese patients with heart failure. The degree of symptom perception of patients with heart failure was affected by personal, psychological, and physiological factors. Health policy and healthcare providers should pay more attention and deepen the understanding to Chinese patients with heart failure to provide better healthcare.

Serial multiple mediators in the relationship between symptom burden and sleep quality among patients with heart failure

“…Higher scores mean that patients perceived a higher symptom burden. The Chinese version of the HFSPS had acceptable validity and reliability in patients with HF, with a Cronbach's α of 0.690 (Luo et al, 2020). The Cronbach's α of the HFSPS was 0.634 in this study.…”

Predictors of Self-care Among Chinese Patients With Chronic Heart Failure

“…8 Moreover, Dodd's theory among cancer sufferers argued that patients waited to perform self-care until adverse effects were severe or persistent. 15 Hence, severe NYHA classification indicated severe heart dysfunction and more symptoms, 6 which promoted patients to practice self-care recommendations. mediated by self-care confidence.…”

Persistent Heart Failure Symptoms at Hospital Discharge Predicts 30-Day Clinical Events

“…Other investigators have reported depression to be a predictor of clinical events 50 or associated with physical HF symptoms. 51,52 Our findings may differ based on similar depression scores between those with and without a clinical event. The situational factor of being in a relationship also influenced clinical events.…”