Gender differences in heart failure self-care: a multinational cross-sectional study.

Area of Science:

• Cardiology
• Gender Studies
• Health Disparities

Background:

• Commonly perceived gender differences in self-care lack robust evidence in heart failure (HF) populations.
• Investigating gender's role in HF self-care is crucial for understanding patient management.

Purpose of the Study:

• To examine cross-cultural gender disparities in self-reported HF self-care.
• To identify gender-specific determinants influencing HF self-care behaviors.

Main Methods:

• Secondary analysis of cross-sectional data from 2082 adults with chronic HF across the US, Australia, and Thailand.
• Assessed self-care maintenance, management, and confidence using the Self-Care of Heart Failure Index.
• Multivariate analyses controlled for covariates to determine gender's explanatory power in HF self-care.

Main Results:

• Small, clinically insignificant gender differences in self-care maintenance were observed.
• Gender was not a significant determinant of HF self-care in multivariate models.
• Comorbidities and new HF diagnosis primarily affected men's self-care; diastolic HF (more common in women) was linked to poorer self-care and confidence.

Conclusions:

• Factors beyond gender primarily drive differences in heart failure self-care.
• Specific gender-related factors identify patients at risk for inadequate self-care.
• Tailored interventions considering gender-specific determinants may improve HF self-care outcomes.