Effectiveness of an Educational Intervention With Home Visits and Telephone Follow-Up on Knowledge and Quality of...

Cardiovascular diseases, particularly heart failure (HF), are leading causes of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Limited patient knowledge about HF is associated with poor treatment adherence and worse health outcomes, emphasizing the importance of educational interventions. This randomized clinical trial evaluated the effectiveness of a nurse-led educational intervention combining home visits and telephone follow-up on patients' knowledge and quality of life (QoL). Conducted in six Brazilian hospitals, the study included 120 patients hospitalized with decompensated HF and randomly assigned to a control group (CG) or an intervention group (IG). The IG received structured education at discharge, followed by home visits on days 7, 30, and 60 and telephone follow-up on days 15 and 45, while the CG received usual care. Outcomes were assessed at 60 days. At this time point, adequate HF knowledge was observed in 82% of patients in the IG compared with 38% in the CG, and good QoL in 73% versus 33%, respectively (p < 0.001). The intervention was effective in improving knowledge and QoL in patients with HF.