Effects of a Nurse-Led Common-Sense Model of Self-Regulation-Based Heart Failure Self-Care Program on Patient...

Inadequate self-care is reported among people with heart failure (HF), contributing to poor prognosis. Nurse-led HF self-care interventions underpinned by the Common-Sense Model of Self-Regulation may promote behavior change and improve health outcomes; however, their effectiveness has yet to be established.

A randomized controlled trial was conducted at a hospital in China from March to August 2023. Patients with HF were randomly assigned to either the intervention or control group (N=69 per group). Participants in the intervention group received a 6-week, nurse-led Common-Sense Model of Self-Regulation-based HF self-care program in addition to usual care, whereas the control group received only usual care. The primary outcomes were illness perceptions and self-care behaviors and secondary outcomes included self-care self-efficacy, health-related quality of life, depression, anxiety, symptom burden, sleep quality, health care service use, and mortality. Data were collected at baseline, 6 weeks (T1), and 3 months (T2) after enrollment. Intervention effects were estimated using generalized estimating equations or the Mann-Whitney U test.

Of the 138 participants, 97 (70.3%) were male, and the mean±SD age was 63.95 (11.91) years. Participants in the intervention group revealed significant improvements in illness perceptions, self-care behaviors, self-care self-efficacy, health-related quality of life, depression, symptom burden, and sleep quality compared with the control group at T1 and T2. The intervention group also demonstrated a significant reduction in the number of HF-related unscheduled outpatient department visits at T2.

This care model was effective in promoting behavior change and improving health outcomes among patients with HF during vulnerable phases of the condition.

URL: https://www.chictr.org; Unique Identifier: ChiCTR2300067270.