The effect of symptom levels of patients suffering from HEART failure on their self care behavior and quality of life

This study was conducted to determine the effect of symptom levels of patients with heart failure on self-care behavior and quality of life. The study consisted of patients with heart failure who were hospitalized in Balıkesir University Health Practice and Research Hospital Cardiology Service and Coronary Intensive Care Unit and applied to Cardiology Outpatient Clinic. The study was conducted between February 15 and December 25, 2021, and the sample of the study consisted of 255 patients who suffered from heart failure, and who fit the criteria for inclusion in the study. The data were gathered with the questionnaire form created in line with the literature; Memorial Symptom Assessment Scale-Heart Failure, European Heart Failure Self-care Behavior Scale and the Minnesota Living With Heart Failure Questionnaires were administered through face-to-face interview technique. Compliance with the normal distribution was examined through Kolmogorov-Smirnov and Shapiro-Wilk Tests. Independent Samples t Test was used to compare normally distributed data in binary groups, Mann Whitney U Test was used to compare non-normally distributed data, and Linear Regression Analysis was used to examine independent variables affecting scale scores. Among the research findings are that the most common symptoms suffered by individuals were weakness at the rate of 97.6% and the majority of patients were found to be in the class 2 group according to the New York Heart Association classification. A significant, positive, very high level of correlation was found between the total scores received from the Minnesota Heart Failure Life Questionnaire and the Memorial Symptom Assessment Scale-Heart Failure Questionnaire. A very weak positive non-significant relationship was found between the total scores of the European Heart Failure Self-care Behavior Scale, the Memorial Symptom Assessment Scale and the Minnesota Living With Heart Failure Questionnaire. The total score of the European Heart Failure Self-care Behavior Scale was found to have a weak, positive and significant relationship with those of the Memorial Symptom Assessment Scale and the Minnesota Living With Heart Failure Questionnaire. In summary, it has been found that the quality of life decreases with the increase in the level of symptoms observed in sick individuals, and a weak relationship was found between the level of symptoms and self-care. Keywords: Heart failure, self-care, symptom level, quality of life.