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Published on: July 18, 2014
Disease-related difficulties and satisfaction with level of knowledge in adults with mild or complex congenital heart
Mascha Kamphuis1, S Pauline Verloove-Vanhorick, Ton Vogels
1Leiden University Medical Centre, PO Box 9600, 2300 RC Leiden, The Netherlands.
Insights
Adults with congenital heart disease, especially complex cases, face daily life challenges and knowledge gaps. Improved counseling is needed to address these difficulties and enhance patient understanding of their condition.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Medical Genetics
- Patient Counseling
Background:
- Congenital cardiac disease (congenital heart disease) affects individuals throughout their lives.
- Understanding daily life difficulties and knowledge satisfaction is crucial for effective patient management.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess daily life challenges and knowledge levels in adult patients with congenital heart disease.
- To identify areas for improvement in patient counseling strategies.
Main Methods:
- A questionnaire was administered to 156 adult patients (80 mild, 76 complex congenital heart disease).
- Participants ranged in age from 17 to 32 years.
Main Results:
- 87% of complex congenital heart disease patients reported difficulties versus 11% with mild disease.
- Complex cases experienced limitations in sports, employment, and education.
- Significant knowledge gaps were reported regarding disease causes, future consequences, and family planning.
Conclusions:
- Adults with congenital heart disease, particularly complex forms, encounter daily life obstacles.
- Many patients express inadequate knowledge about their condition.
- There is a clear need for tailored congenital heart disease counseling programs.
Objectives:
To evaluate difficulties in daily life, and satisfaction with level of knowledge about their disease, in patients with congenital cardiac disease in order to improve counselling.
Methods:
A self-administered questionnaire was completed by 80 patients with mild, and 76 with complex, congenital cardiac disease. They were aged from 17 to 32 years.
Results:
Even patients with only mild malformations experienced difficulties related to their disease, but being found in only 11%, these were significantly less than those uncovered in 87% of those with complex disease (p < 0.001). Those patients with complex malformations frequently felt restricted in choices because of their disease in areas such as sport (59%), employment (51%), and education (34%). Other difficulties reported were: paying a higher premium for life insurance (29%), having to give up on a sport (28%), and being excluded from a job (18%). Depending on the item, between one-fifth and two-thirds of participants reported gaps in knowledge, most frequently for "causes of congenital cardiac disease", "future consequences", and "family planning". For 53% of those with mild anomalies, and 93% of severely affected patients, the cardiologist is the most important source of information.
Conclusions:
A minority of adults with mild, and a majority of those with complex congenital cardiac disease report difficulties in daily life. A substantial number of these patients feel that they have an inadequate level of knowledge about their disease. Our results suggest the need for a specific programme of counselling.
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