Determinants of Quality of Life Among Congestive Heart Failure Persons

Most of cardiovascular diseases usually end up with congestive heart failure and hospitalization. Symptoms of congestive heart failure are illustrated by dyspnea, edema at legs, fatigue, and restless and affect functional performance, mental health, and quality of life among congestive heart failure persons. The objectives of this descriptive study were to examine quality of life and its determinants. A sample of 200-congestive heart failure persons who received health care services at outpatient department was recruited. Instruments were a package of interviewing questionnaire including demographics, quality of life, health perception, functional performance, mental and emotional problems, food consumption, physical activity, illness adjustment, and depression. Data were analyzed using descriptive, Pearson’s correlation, and Multiple Regression. The results were as follow:

Majority was male (56.0%), mean age 57.31 (SD. = 15.60), marital status (90.0%), employee (53.5%), illness duration average 42.42 (SD. = 66.27; 83.0%), and history of hospitalization (74.0%). The results also found that significant factors related to quality of life included health perception (r = .290, p <.001), functional performance (r = .471, p <.001), illness adjustment (r = .324, p <.001), mental and emotion problems (r = .559, p <.001), physical activity (r = .178, p =.006), food consumption (r = -.200, p<.001), and depression (r = -.317, p <.001). Stepwise Multiple regression suggested that predicting factors of quality of life were mental and emotional problems (Beta = .433, p < .001) and functional performance (Beta = .267, p = .001). Total variance explained 36.8%

From the research results, health care providers should develop intervention and conduct research based on promoting functional performance and managing mental and emotional problems to improve quality of life among congestive heart failure persons.