Assessment of Perception and Quality of Life for Patients with Congestive Heart Failure

Abstract

Congestive heart failure is a complex disease and so far has been a major cause of morbidity and mortality. The illness perception aims to understand how patients evaluate threats to their health by constructing their own thoughts and perceptions. Congestive heart failure has a major impact on the quality of life of patients. Aim: This study aimed to assess perception and quality of life for patients with congestive heart failure. Design: A descriptive exploratory design was used to achieve the aim of the study. Setting The study was conducted in coronary care unit at Alexandria University Hospital. Study sample: Purpose sample of 100 patients with congestive heart failure were recruited in the study. Tools: Three tools were used for data collection; tool 1 patient's interviewing questionnaire consisted of the demographic characteristics of patient and the past and present history of the disease, tool 2 was patient's perception scale (Illness Perception Questionnaireand), tool 3 was the quality of life scale SF-36. Results: The finding of the current study revealed that 49% of the studied subjects had low perception possible causes of disease, 86% of them had moderate perception about treatment control of disease, and 78% of them had high perception about illness coherence of disease. 10% of the studied patients had high quality of life of physical functioning, 82% of them had low quality of life of energy/ fatigue, 64% of them had moderate quality of life of social function. Conclusion: The results of the current study revealed that the majority of studied patients had moderate perception regarding congestive heart failure and most of the studied subject had low quality of life. Recommendations: Continuous manner of education for studied patients should be held, because it is a fundamental part of their treatment. Keywords: Congestive heart failure, Perception, Quality of life.