The influence of gender and race on heart failure self-care

Abstract

Objectives To explore gender and racial differences in heart failure (HF) self-care processes and examine whether gender and race predict HF self-care. Methods A secondary analysis of baseline data ( n = 107) from a longitudinal HF study (54.2% males; 56% non-Caucasians) was conducted. The self-care of heart failure index was used to measure self-care maintenance, management, and confidence. Descriptive statistics and univariate analyses examined gender and racial differences in HF self-care outcomes. Multiple linear regression examined whether gender and race predicted HF self-care maintenance, management, and confidence. Results Univariate analyses indicated that Caucasians reported significantly better self-care maintenance ( p = 0.042), while non-Caucasians reported significantly better self-care management ( p = 0.003). Males had significantly higher self-care confidence scores versus women ( p = 0.017). Multiple regression analysis indicated Caucasian race predicted significantly worse self-care management (β = −11.188; p = 0.006) versus non-Caucasian, while male gender predicted significantly higher self-care confidence scores (β = 7.592; p = 0.010) versus female gender. Gender nor race significantly predicted self-care maintenance. Discussion Although gender and race may influence HF self-care, other factors may be more important. More research is needed to identify individual factors that contribute to HF self-care to improve education and intervention.

Sociodemographic Indicators of Social Position and Self-care Maintenance in Adults with Heart Failure

“…In this study, race was significantly associated with self-care maintenance in both bivariate and multiple regression analysis (controlling for education and marital status). This finding differs from those of Graven et al (2019) who found no statistically significant association between race and self-care maintenance. We know that not only are racial minorities disproportionately burdened by poor health and that they are also more likely to live in geographical areas with poor SDH (Virani et al, 2020).…”

Self-Care in Heart Failure Inpatients: What Is the Role of Gender and Pathophysiological Characteristics? A Cross-Sectional Multicentre Study

“…The mean scores obtained for each section of the SCHFI were below 70 points, meaning that the participants presented a non-appropriate self-care behaviour. These findings are in accordance with other studies [12,14,[27][28][29][30][31]. However, the mean values in those studies were higher, ranging from 50 to 65 points, in contrast with the ones from the present study, which ranged between 35 and 45.…”

“…In a study with Brazilian patients similar results were found related to the differences in self-care maintenance [27]. Contrarily to our results, in the study of Graven et al, NYHA class II patients present higher levels of self-care behaviour, in absolute values, even though they were not statistically significant [29].…”

“…A very low percentage of patients (4.9% to 10.2%) were found to have an adequate self-care behaviour (≥70), but this is similar to other European countries [14,27,29].…”

“…In the study by Mei et al [13], where only self-care maintenance was evaluated, there was no statistically significant difference between genders, even though it was slightly better in women, as in the present study. Graven et al [29], in a study analysing the differences by gender and race in the SCHFI and Dellafiore et al [12], found no difference in self-care maintenance and management, but a statistically significant difference in self-care confidence was achieved, favouring men. In the present article, males had better results, but not with a statistically significant difference.…”