Predictors of adherence to self-care behaviors among patients with coronary heart disease

Abstract

Background & Aim: Coronary Heart Disease (CHD) was responsible for 7.4 million deaths globally. Self-care is an integral element of standard medical management for CHD. The aims of this study were: (1) to describe self-care maintenance, self-care monitoring, self-care management, and self-care confidence among patients with CHD patients; and (2) to identify predictors of self-care maintenance, self-care monitoring, self-care management, and self-care confidence in Jordanian CHD patients.

Methods & Materials: A descriptive cross-sectional design was used. A sample of 193 patients with CHD was interviewed. Self-care behaviors were measured by the Self-Care Coronary Heart Disease Index (SC-CHDI). Anxiety and depression were assessed using the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HAD), and social support was assessed using the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MSPSS).

Results: The mean age of the participants was 60.4 years (SD=10.61). 139 (72%) of the participants were males. Female patients were significantly worse than male patients in self-care management (P=0.045) and self-care confidence (P=0.014). Significant predictors for better self-care maintenance were older age and higher self-care confidence. The prediction model explained 17.6% of the variance in self-care maintenance (F= 4.188, P=. <001). The significant predictors for self-care confidence were self-care maintenance, self-care management, and BMI. The prediction model explained 29% of the variance in the self-care confidence (F= 7. 137, P=. <001).

Conclusion: The study revealed that self-care maintenance was adequate while self-care management and self-care confidence were suboptimal. Older age, higher educational level, and better self-care confidence were predictors of higher self-care maintenance.