Keywords

adherence, anxiety, chronic heart failure, depression, self-efficacy

 

Authors

  1. Schweitzer, Robert D. PhD, MA (ClinPsy)
  2. Head, Kathryn B Psychol (Hons)
  3. Dwyer, Jonathan W. PhD, BA (Hons)

Abstract

Background: Chronic heart failure adversely affects 300,000 Australians. Symptom stabilization and prognosis are partially determined by patients following medical and lifestyle recommendations.

 

Methods: To test the hypothesis that depression, anxiety, and self-efficacy are independent predictors of such adherence, 115 predominately male (70.6%) volunteers with a mean age of 63 years were recruited from a major teaching hospital in Australia.

 

Results: Depression (Beck Depression Inventory score >10, 33.3%) failed to predict adherence. Trait anxiety (State-Trait Anxiety Inventory score >40, 31%) explained minimal variability regarding smoking and alcohol adherence. Self-efficacy strongly predicted adherence behavior.

 

Conclusions: Findings will assist cardiac nurses to prepare strategies to optimize adherence and quality of life while minimizing public health costs.