An Analysis And Countermeasure Study On Affecting Factors Of Quality Of Life In Heart Failure

Objectives: Study affecting factors on quality of life (QOL) in chronic heart failure (CHF). Put forward measures and suggestions of elongating life span and improve QOL, which set a good foundation for deeper investigations.Methods: The research is descriptive study. The instruments used the demographic data, medical information, Minnesota Living with Heart Failure Questionnaire (MLHFQ), Modified Procidano Family Support Scale, Modified Heart Failure Patients' Comprehensive Self-care Scale to make a survey of 204 chronic heart failure (CHF) patients in the cardiac wards of four Grade A hospitals in Tianjin from Oct.2002 to Apr.2003. Pearson's correlation analysis and multiple factor Logestic regression analysis were run for all valid data on affecting factors of QOL using the SPSS 10.0 statistical package.Results: QOL of 80.9% of the surveyed CHF are in the low or middle. There is notable difference (P<0.05) and makes QOL assume a declining trend's factors:1. Over 65 hospitalized CHF is 65.2% and manual labors are 69.1%.2. The higher cardiac function class and the longer time limit of CHF. Those who have an accompanied CHD are 68.1%, especially those with MI or angina.3. Use drug unreasonably is 55.9% before being hospitalized, and deficiency of usage rate for ACEI and -blocker is 50.0% and 22.5% respectively.4. Not using thrombolysis and interventional therapy timely to open or reestablish infarct-related blood vessels is 84.3%.5. Those who are not engaged in sports.6. In the family support system, those supported by children or others instead of spouse is 64.3%; those with a support degree or attitude in the low or middle from family members is 90.3%.7. Those with a family income of less than Y600 /mon. everyone and those who must pay one's own expense is 53.9% and 27.9% respectively.8. Those with a comprehensive self-care ability in the low or middle is 85.3%, especially in self-care and obeying doctor's orders.Conclusions:1. The factors affecting QOL of CHF include: age, occupation, cardiac function class, time limit of CHF, CHD (especially MI or angina), drug or non-drug therapy, exercises, family support, economical condition, the medicare way is paid and comprehensive self-care ability.2. The countermeasures of improving QOL include: Develop full range health education and set the idea of prevention first. Establish HFOPD and the community-allied pattern. Standardize the Rx, combine drug and non-drug therapy to prevent cardiac function from getting worse. Strive for family support, consummate social medicare.3. Combine and quantify 6-minute walk, cardiac function class and QOL, and then used as a basis for the assessment of intervening measures for CHF is feasible.