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The Influence of Chronic Heart Failure in Patient-Partner Dyads-A Comparative Study Addressing Issues of Health-Related Quality of Life.

Ågren, Susanna LU ; Evangelista, Lorraine ; Davidson, Thomas and Strömberg, Anna (2010) In The Journal of Cardiovascular Nursing
Abstract
BACKGROUND:: Patients with chronic heart failure (HF) and their partners face many challenges associated with heart disease. High social support in a close relationship has been found to improve survival in patients with HF. However, caring for a patient with HF may have negative effects on the health-related quality of life (HRQOL) of the partner responsible for the care. The main focus in health care is still on improving patients' HRQOL, but the awareness of partners' and families' role and situation is increasing. Therefore, further studies are needed to clarify these issues and the importance of partners in relation to HRQOL of patients with HF. OBJECTIVES:: To describe and compare HRQOL, quality-adjusted life-year (QALY) weights,... (More)
BACKGROUND:: Patients with chronic heart failure (HF) and their partners face many challenges associated with heart disease. High social support in a close relationship has been found to improve survival in patients with HF. However, caring for a patient with HF may have negative effects on the health-related quality of life (HRQOL) of the partner responsible for the care. The main focus in health care is still on improving patients' HRQOL, but the awareness of partners' and families' role and situation is increasing. Therefore, further studies are needed to clarify these issues and the importance of partners in relation to HRQOL of patients with HF. OBJECTIVES:: To describe and compare HRQOL, quality-adjusted life-year (QALY) weights, symptoms of depression, and perceived control and knowledge in patients with chronic HF and their partners and to compare HRQOL and QALY weights in the partners with an age- and sex-matched group. METHODS:: Data were collected from 135 patient-partner dyads at 2 Swedish hospitals. Data on the reference group were collected from the same region. RESULTS:: Patients had lower HRQOL in all dimensions (P < .001) except in the mental health domain and lower QALY weights compared with their partners (P < .001). Mental health scores were lower in partners compared with the age- and sex-matched references (P < .001). All other HRQOL scores and the QALY weights were comparable between partners and reference group. Patients had more depressive symptoms than did their partners (P < .001). There was no difference in the level of perceived control or knowledge about chronic HF between patients and partners. CONCLUSIONS:: Our findings confirm that partners of patients with chronic HF have markedly diminished mental health. Interventions focusing on education and psychosocial support may potentially promote mental health in partners and enhance their ability to support the patient. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
in
The Journal of Cardiovascular Nursing
publisher
Lippincott Williams & Wilkins
external identifiers
  • wos:000285138300015
  • pmid:21127426
  • scopus:79951514191
ISSN
1550-5049
DOI
10.1097/JCN.0b013e3181ec0281
language
English
LU publication?
yes
additional info
The information about affiliations in this record was updated in December 2015. The record was previously connected to the following departments: The Vårdal Institute (016540000)
id
aeb835cd-50d7-4c2a-b1a8-7060ec72ecd8 (old id 1756782)
alternative location
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21127426?dopt=Abstract
date added to LUP
2016-04-04 09:05:31
date last changed
2022-01-29 08:12:04
@article{aeb835cd-50d7-4c2a-b1a8-7060ec72ecd8,
  abstract     = {{BACKGROUND:: Patients with chronic heart failure (HF) and their partners face many challenges associated with heart disease. High social support in a close relationship has been found to improve survival in patients with HF. However, caring for a patient with HF may have negative effects on the health-related quality of life (HRQOL) of the partner responsible for the care. The main focus in health care is still on improving patients' HRQOL, but the awareness of partners' and families' role and situation is increasing. Therefore, further studies are needed to clarify these issues and the importance of partners in relation to HRQOL of patients with HF. OBJECTIVES:: To describe and compare HRQOL, quality-adjusted life-year (QALY) weights, symptoms of depression, and perceived control and knowledge in patients with chronic HF and their partners and to compare HRQOL and QALY weights in the partners with an age- and sex-matched group. METHODS:: Data were collected from 135 patient-partner dyads at 2 Swedish hospitals. Data on the reference group were collected from the same region. RESULTS:: Patients had lower HRQOL in all dimensions (P &lt; .001) except in the mental health domain and lower QALY weights compared with their partners (P &lt; .001). Mental health scores were lower in partners compared with the age- and sex-matched references (P &lt; .001). All other HRQOL scores and the QALY weights were comparable between partners and reference group. Patients had more depressive symptoms than did their partners (P &lt; .001). There was no difference in the level of perceived control or knowledge about chronic HF between patients and partners. CONCLUSIONS:: Our findings confirm that partners of patients with chronic HF have markedly diminished mental health. Interventions focusing on education and psychosocial support may potentially promote mental health in partners and enhance their ability to support the patient.}},
  author       = {{Ågren, Susanna and Evangelista, Lorraine and Davidson, Thomas and Strömberg, Anna}},
  issn         = {{1550-5049}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  month        = {{12}},
  publisher    = {{Lippincott Williams & Wilkins}},
  series       = {{The Journal of Cardiovascular Nursing}},
  title        = {{The Influence of Chronic Heart Failure in Patient-Partner Dyads-A Comparative Study Addressing Issues of Health-Related Quality of Life.}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1097/JCN.0b013e3181ec0281}},
  doi          = {{10.1097/JCN.0b013e3181ec0281}},
  year         = {{2010}},
}