The Most and the Least Performed Self-Care Behaviors Among Patients With Heart Failure in Jordan

Abstract

Assessing self-care is important aspects among patients with heart failure. However, few studies were conducted to assess self-care among patients with heart failure in Jordan. Therefore, this study aimed to assess the most and the least performed maintenance self-care behaviors and to examine the relationship between maintenance self-care behaviors and selected sociodemographics. A cross-sectional design utilizing a convenience sample of 226 patients with heart failure was used. The maintenance self-care mean was 53.89 and considered below the clinical target level (≥70). Asking for low salt item and performing physical exercises were the most performed self-care behaviors, while "trying to avoid getting sick" and "checking ankles for swelling" were the least performed self-care behaviors. Limited self-care behaviors indicated the need to implement cardiac education that may improve self-care behaviors. Cardiac education should target mainly patients with low income, low educational level, elderly, living alone, unemployed, and who are using traditional treatment.

Knowledge, Adherence to Lifestyle Recommendations, and Quality of Life Among Koreans With Heart Failure

“…Indeed, many patients with HF may be hospitalized for other causes related to influenza virus and bacterial pneumonia. 30 The result regarding proper sodium intake in this study was not consistent with the results of previous studies conducted in Jordan, 29 Japan, 31 and Iran 32 which indicated that asking for a low-salt diet was a frequently performed lifestyle. Further research is needed to examine the cultural limitations that Korean food can have, such as the taste of low-sodium foods, diet preferences, and food preparation styles in Korea.…”

“…Having pneumococcal vaccination, proper sodium intake, and performing regular exercise were the least performed lifestyle recommendations. This finding was similar to the findings obtained by Tawalbeh and colleagues, 29 who indicated that avoiding getting sick by having a vaccine was one of the least performed lifestyles among patients with HF. It seems that patients with HF have less information about the vaccine and its importance.…”

Special Issue: Cardiovascular Nursing Research

“…In their cross-sectional study of 226 Jordanians with heart failure, they found lower than expected heart failure self-maintenance (Tawalbeh et al, 2020). The sample reported high rates of asking for low salt items and exercising and low rates of trying to avoid getting sick and checking ankles for swelling (Tawalbeh et al, 2020). This study suggests several areas for nursing interventions particularly in helping persons with heart failure with chronic disease management, symptom recognition, and self-care.…”

“…Self-care is essential in most chronic diseases. Tawalbeh and colleagues (2020) investigated self-care behaviors of Jordanians with heart failure. In their cross-sectional study of 226 Jordanians with heart failure, they found lower than expected heart failure self-maintenance (Tawalbeh et al, 2020).…”

“…Tawalbeh and colleagues (2020) investigated self-care behaviors of Jordanians with heart failure. In their cross-sectional study of 226 Jordanians with heart failure, they found lower than expected heart failure self-maintenance (Tawalbeh et al, 2020). The sample reported high rates of asking for low salt items and exercising and low rates of trying to avoid getting sick and checking ankles for swelling (Tawalbeh et al, 2020).…”