The Effects Of Type D Personality And Related Psychosocial Factors On Quality Of Life In Patients With Chronic Heart Failure

ObjectiveTo find out the effects of type D personality on anxiety, depression, social support and other psychosocial factors among patients with chronic heart failure(CHF) and the correlations between the type D personality and the psychosocial factors, and to further explore the effects of type D personality and related psychosocial factors on quality of life in patients with CHF. MethodsA convenience sample of 150 eligible CHF patients were recruited. All patients were investigated with the General Healthy Questionnaire, Type D Personality Scale(DS14), Minnesota Living with Heart Failure Questionnaire(MLHFQ), Zung’s Self-Rating Anxiety Scale(SAS), Zung’s Self-Rating Depression Scale(SDS) and Social Support Rating Scale(SSRS) before receiving treatment. According to DS14, SAS, SDS and SSRS, 150 patients with CHF were divided into the type D personality group and the non-type D personality group; the anxiety group and the non-anxiety group; the depression group and the non-depression group; the high level of social support group and the middle-low level of social support, respectively. Data were analyzed with SPSS version 17.0, including descriptive statistics, two independent samples t tests, Pearson correlation analysis, one-way ANOVA, multiple stepwise regression analysis, etc. Results1. The total scores of quality of life and social support of the patients with CHF were 44.13 ± 20.29, 38.99 ± 8.26, respectively; CHF patients with type D personality, anxiety, depression were 34.00%, 36.67% and 46.67%, respectively.2. The scores of SAS, SDS in the type D personality group were significantly higher than those in the non-type D personality group(52.16 ± 8.86 vs 43.56 ± 7.33, 56.82 ± 10.29 vs 46.59 ± 10.07, separately)(all P<0.01); the score of SSRS in the type D personality group was significantly lower than that in the non-type D personality group(34.00 ± 7.18 vs 41.57 ± 7.61, P<0.01).3. The type D personality, negative affectivity(NA) and social inhibition(SI) were positively correlated with anxiety and depression(r =0.452, 0.521, 0.230; 0.458, 0.477, 0.296, separately)(all P<0.01); the type D personality, NA and SI were negatively correlated with social support level(r =-0.336,-0.271,-0.316, all P<0.01).4. The score of MLHFQ in the type D personality group was significantly higher than that in the non-type D personality group(58.61 ± 17.12 vs 36.67 ± 17.63); the score of MLHFQ in the anxiety group was significantly higher than that in the non-anxiety group(57.40 ± 16.85 vs 36.44 ± 18.07); the score of MLHFQ in the depression group was significantly higher than that in the non-depression group(56.71 ± 16.94 vs 33.11 ± 16.19); the score of MLHFQ in the high level of social support group was significantly lower than that in the middle-low level of social support group(29.38 ± 13.87 vs 49.86 ± 19.51)(all P<0.01).5. Multiple stepwise regression analysis showed that type D personality, anxiety, depression, social support and NYHA class entered the quality of life regression equation(β =7.829、6.636、11.263、-0.641、5.857, respectively, all P<0.05). Conclusion1. Quality of life of Patients with CHF is in the low or middle level; Social support of Patients with CHF is in the middle level.2. Higher proportions of type D personality, anxiety or depression in patients with CHF.3. Patients with CHF of the type D personality experience more anxiety and depression, get less social support, have lower level of mental health, and the type D personality and anxiety, depression, social support level have a clear correlation.4. CHF patients with Type D personality, anxiety, depression or the lower social support level have the poorer quality of life, and type D personality, anxiety, depression, social support level and NYHA class affect the quality of life of patients with CHF.