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Treatment Inertia Among Elderly Patients with Chronic Heart Failure: A Qualitative Study
Mengfan Jiao1,2, Wei Wang1, Chunxu Chen1
1Department of Cardiology, Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University, Jinan, 250021, People's Republic of China.
Patient Preference and Adherence
|December 15, 2025
Summary
Patient treatment inertia in chronic heart failure (CHF) stems from limited capability, motivation, and opportunity in elderly Chinese adults. Interventions should boost health literacy and support systems to improve adherence to evidence-based therapy.
Area of Science:
- Gerontology
- Cardiology
- Health Psychology
Background:
- Treatment inertia in chronic heart failure (CHF) is a significant barrier to optimal patient outcomes.
- Patient-level factors contributing to inertia, especially in elderly populations, are under-investigated, particularly in diverse healthcare contexts like China.
- Understanding these factors is critical for developing effective management strategies for aging populations with CHF.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore patient-level treatment inertia among elderly Chinese patients with CHF.
- To identify the behavioral and contextual determinants influencing treatment inertia using the COM-B framework.
- To inform the development of culturally tailored interventions to address treatment inertia.
Main Methods:
- A descriptive phenomenological design was employed.
- Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 14 hospitalized elderly CHF patients (≥60 years).
- Colaizzi's seven-step method was used for data analysis, adhering to COREQ guidelines.
Main Results:
- Three emergent themes identified: deficient capability (low health literacy, poor symptom perception), weakened motivation (external pressures, distrust, lack of incentives), and constrained opportunity (inadequate family support, limited medical resources).
- These factors interact to create patient-level treatment inertia.
- Specific barriers include insufficient symptom recognition, low health literacy, competing life pressures, and limited access to support.
Conclusions:
- Patient-level treatment inertia in elderly CHF patients is a multifactorial issue driven by cognitive, motivational, and systemic constraints.
- Interventions should focus on enhancing health literacy and psychosocial motivation.
- Establishing robust family and community-based support systems is crucial for mitigating inertia and improving patient outcomes in chronic heart failure management.
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