Supporting Physical and Mental Health in Rural Veterans Living With Heart Failure: Protocol for a Nurse-Led Telephone...

Area of Science:

• Gerontology
• Public Health
• Cardiovascular Medicine

Background:

• Heart failure (HF) disproportionately affects rural veterans, presenting unique challenges in home management.
• Barriers to optimal physical and mental health require tailored support and problem-solving skills for rural veterans with HF.

Purpose of the Study:

• To culturally adapt a telephone support and problem-solving intervention (CARE-HF) for the rural sociocultural context.
• To evaluate the effects of the adapted CARE-HF intervention on problem-solving abilities and health outcomes in rural veterans with HF.

Main Methods:

• A single-group, repeated-measures design was used, adapting the CARE-HF intervention based on qualitative data and established theories.
• The nurse-led CARE-HF intervention involves 8 telephone sessions focused on a 5-step problem-solving process for managing HF at home.
• Data on problem-solving, HF self-care, symptoms, healthcare utilization, mental health, quality of life, stress, resilience, and coping are collected at baseline and 3, 6, 12, and 18 months.

Main Results:

• Recruitment began in April 2023, with 56 veterans enrolled as of December 2024.
• Anticipated recruitment completion is June 2025, with data collection extending until all participants finish the 18-month follow-up.

Conclusions:

• Culturally sensitive, tailored telephone interventions like CARE-HF can provide individualized care to rural veterans, reducing travel burdens and improving access.
• If proven effective, telephone support and problem-solving interventions offer a low-cost, accessible method to enhance physical and mental health for rural veterans with HF.