Compliance and associated factors in patients with chronic heart failure

In recent years, prevalence of heart failure (HF) and rate of hospitalization have been increased. Increased patient compliance in relation to treatment regimens is of the effective approaches in prevention of heart failure and increasing patients’ surveillance. This study was designed to determine heart failure patients’ compliance with treatment regimens and related factors contains health belief and knowledge. A descriptive-correlational study was designed and 300 patients with chronic heart failure completed the study’s questionnaire. The questionnaire comprised 4 sections of “demographic and clinical variables”, “revised heart failure compliance questionnaire”, “heart failure knowledge scale”, and “heart failure belief scale”. Data were analyzed using descriptive and analytical statistical methods (chi-square, Pearson correlational coefficient, independent t test, ANOVA, logistic regression) in SPSS v.12. Majority of study subjects (77.7%) did not comply with treatment regimens, and mostly (88.8%) had very low knowledge of heart failure. Study results showed that there are significant relationship between compliance and education (P=0.00), occupation (P<0.001), left ventricular ejection fraction (P=0.00), heart failure class (P=0.00), knowledge (P<0.01) and patients belief in their treatment regimen (P<0.01). In this study, compliance with medication, sodium restriction, and appointment-keeping was high. Majority of patients had very low knowledge of their own disease and heart failure regimen. Emphasis on self-care strategies (like daily weighing) and explaining to the patient about reactions to weight gain and attention to self-control (like compliance with a flexible diuretic diet); to prevent worsening symptoms of heart failure is particularly important. Interventions must be in line with patients’ experienced problems.