Effect of an Educational Program Intervention for Caregivers of Heart Failure Patients on Patient Symptoms and Quality of Life: A Pretest-Posttest Study

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Abstract
Objective: Our aim in this study was to evaluate the effects of education provided to family caregivers of patients with heart failure (HF) on the caregiver’s contribution to the patient’s self-care and on the patient’s quality of life and symptoms. Methods: This study utilized a pretest-posttest intervention design and was conducted with 380 patients and family caregivers. Data were collected using the Caregiver Information Form, Patient Information Form, Caregiver Contribution to Heart Failure Self-Care Index (CC-SCHFI), Memorial Symptom Assessment Scale-Heart Failure (MSAS-HF), and the Minnesota Living with Heart Failure Questionnaire (MLWHFQ). After the preliminary interview, a pretest was administered to the patients and their caregivers. Then, caregivers were trained on HF. After the end of the education, the posttest was administered to the patients and their caregivers. Results: The difference between the mean (± SD) CC-SCHFI pretest (53.37 ± 1.73) and posttest (72.84 ± 1.08) scores was statistically significant ( p < .001). The differences between patients’ MSAS-HF pretest (1.08 ± 0.39) and posttest (0.53 ± 0.25) and MLWHFQ pretest (49.00 ± 12.69) and posttest (39.00 ± 14.06) scores were statistically significant ( p < .001). There was no significant correlation between the CC-SCHFI pretest scores of caregivers and the MLWHFQ and MSAS-HF pretest scores of patients, whereas a weak and significant correlation was found between the CC-SCHFI posttest scores of caregivers and the MSAS-HF posttest scores of patients ( r = 0.161, p = .002). Conclusion: Supporting caregivers in HF through educational program may increase their contribution to patient care and improve patient outcomes.

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