Self-care in Chinese heart failure patients: Gender-specific correlates

Abstract

Background: Existing studies have indicated that poor self-care in heart failure (HF) patients may differ according to gender but such studies remain scarce among Chinese HF patients.

Objective: To explore gender difference in correlates of self-care in Chinese HF patients.

Method: A cross-sectional study on Chinese HF patients (n = 127) from cardiac wards of two hospitals in China was conducted. Data on participants' socio-demographic and clinical characteristics, self-care, HF knowledge, social support, and self-care confidence were collected. Correlates of HF self-care were explored using hierarchical multiple regression.

Results: Gender differences were observed in Chinese HF patients, who generally performed poorly in self-care. In males, self-care maintenance was associated with HF knowledge while self-care management was associated with social support. In females, maintenance was associated with self-care confidence while management was associated with both self-care confidence and HF knowledge.

Conclusion: Correlates of self-care differed between two genders in Chinese HF patients. These gender-specific factors should be considered when planning self-care intervention or educating HF patients.

Keywords: Gender difference; Heart failure; Self-care.