Skip Navigation

European Journal of Heart Failure 2005 7(3):419-422; doi:10.1016/j.ejheart.2004.08.004
This Article
Right arrow Full Text Freely available
Right arrow FREE Full Text (PDF) Freely available
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Email this article to a friend
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Add to My Personal Archive
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrowRequest Permissions
Right arrow Disclaimer
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Lee, D. T.F.
Right arrow Articles by Thompson, D. R.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Lee, D. T.F.
Right arrow Articles by Thompson, D. R.
Social Bookmarking
Add to CiteULike   Add to Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us  
What's this?

© 2005 European Society of Cardiology

Health-related quality of life in patients with congestive heart failure

Diana T.F. Leea,*, Doris S.F. Yua, Jean Woob and David R. Thompsona

a The Nethersole School of Nursing, The Chinese University of Hong Kong Rm 723, Esther Lee Building, Shatin, N.T., Hong Kong
b Department of Community and Family Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong Hong Kong

* Corresponding author. Tel.: +852 26096227; fax: +852 2603 5935. E-mail address: tzefanlee{at}cuhk.edu.hk


  Abstract

Background: Despite abundant evidence attesting to poor physical, psychological and social functioning of congestive heart failure (CHF) patients, little is known about the impact of the disease itself on health-related quality of life (HRQL). Most previous work has focused on general quality of life issues rather than specifically on the impact of CHF on HRQL.

Aim: To identify the significant demographic, clinical and psychosocial factors associated with HRQL in patients with CHF.

Methods: A total of 227 CHF patients were recruited from the medical unit of a general hospital in Hong Kong. Cross-sectional data on HRQL, functional status, psychological state, social support and health perception were obtained from each patient and clinical data were obtained from hospital records.

Results: In hierarchical regression analysis, psychological distress, poor health perception, higher NYHA grading and lower education level were identified as the significant factors associated with poorer HRQL. These correlates in total explained 52% of the variance for the HRQL scores. Among these correlates, psychological distress and NYHA grading demonstrated the greatest effect on HRQL scores.

Conclusion: The findings highlight the significance of addressing the psychological and functional health of CHF patients. Assisting these patients to cultivate a positive attitude towards their own health status is also an important treatment goal.

Key Words: Heart failure • Health-related quality of life • Psychological distress • Functional health

Received November 10, 2003; Revised July 22, 2004; Accepted August 22, 2004


Add to CiteULike CiteULike   Add to Connotea Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us Del.icio.us    What's this?


This article has been cited by other articles:


Home page
 Nephrol Dial TransplantHome page
A. Covic, P. Kothawala, M. Bernal, S. Robbins, A. Chalian, and D. Goldsmith
Systematic review of the evidence underlying the association between mineral metabolism disturbances and risk of all-cause mortality, cardiovascular mortality and cardiovascular events in chronic kidney disease
Nephrol. Dial. Transplant., May 1, 2009; 24(5): 1506 - 1523.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Disclaimer: Please note that abstracts for content published before 1996 were created through digital scanning and may therefore not exactly replicate the text of the original print issues. All efforts have been made to ensure accuracy, but the Publisher will not be held responsible for any remaining inaccuracies. If you require any further clarification, please contact our Customer Services Department.