Rural patients' knowledge about heart failure.

Area of Science:

• Cardiology
• Public Health
• Health Education

Background:

• Heart failure (HF) management requires significant patient self-care knowledge.
• Rural populations face unique challenges due to geographic remoteness from healthcare services.
• Effective self-care is critical for managing HF, especially in underserved areas.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the knowledge level of rural heart failure patients.
• To identify clinical and demographic factors associated with lower HF knowledge.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of baseline data from 612 rural HF patients in the Rural Education to Improve Outcomes in Heart Failure trial.
• Utilized the Heart Failure Knowledge Scale, Short Test of Functional Health Literacy in Adults, and Brief Symptom Inventory.
• Multiple linear regression explored sociodemographic and clinical predictors of HF knowledge.

Main Results:

• Average HF knowledge score was 69.5%, with common errors in symptom recognition and daily weight monitoring.
• Older patients and men demonstrated significantly lower HF knowledge than younger patients and women.
• Patients with HF with preserved systolic function scored lower than those with systolic HF.

Conclusions:

• Identification of rural HF patients at risk for poor self-care due to knowledge deficits is possible.
• Older adults, men, and patients with HF with preserved systolic function require tailored educational interventions.
• Targeted strategies can enhance self-care knowledge for improved HF management in vulnerable rural populations.