Association Between Characteristics of Hospitalized Heart Failure Patients With Their Needs

Abstract

<p><strong>INTRODUCTION:</strong> During recent years that life expectancy of heart failure patients has been increased, health professionals put more emphasis on assessing their needs in daily clinical practice. <strong>The aim </strong>of the present study was to explore the association between characteristics of hospitalized heart failure patients with their needs.</p><p><strong>METHODS: </strong>A sample of 190 hospitalized patients with HF, recruited from public hospitals in Greece, was enrolled in the study. Data were collected by the completion of a questionnaire which included socio-demographic and clinical characteristics and the questionnaire "Needs of hospitalized patients with coronary artery disease" which is consisted of 6 subscales. Statistical methods used were Kruskal wallis-test or Mann-Whitney test and Spearmans' rho coefficient. Multiple regression analysis was performed in order to evaluate the association between patients’ characteristics and the significance of their needs.</p><p><strong>RESULTS: </strong>124 (65.3%) of hospitalized heart failure participants were men and 89 (46.8%) of participants were more than 70 years old. 145 (76.3%) had prior experience of hospitalization due to heart failure. The need for support and guidance was statistically significantly associated with the degree of information, (p=&lt;0.001). The need for information from the medical and nursing staff was significantly associated with marital status and degree of information (p=0.001 and p&lt;0.001 respectively). The need for need for being in contact with other patient groups, and ensuring communication with relatives<strong> </strong>was statistically significantly associated with the professional status and degree of information, (p=0.037 and p=&lt;0.001 respectively). The need for individualized treatment and the need for patient’s personal participation to his/her treatment as well as the<strong> </strong>need to meet the emotional and physical needs were statistically significant associated with the degree of information, (p=&lt;0.001, p=&lt;0.001 respectively). Lastly, the need to trust the medical and nursing staff was statistically significantly associated with the place of residence and the degree of information, (p=0.023 and p&lt;0.001). These results were confirmed by the multiple linear regression after controlling for potential confounders.</p><p><strong>CONCLUSIONS: </strong>Information seems to be of vital importance when assessing the needs of heart failure patients. Therefore, providing elaborate information should be an integral part of their therapeutic regimen.</p>