Relationship between Health Literacy and Quality of Life in Patients with Heart Failure

Health literacy is one of the factors affecting the knowledge, attitude and behavior change, and quality of life of patients with heart failure. The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between health literacy and quality of life in patients with heart failure.

This correlational study was performed in 250 patients with heart failure attending two hospitals affiliated with Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, 2018. They were selected via convenience sampling. Data were collected using demographic and clinical information questionnaires, the Minnesota Living with Heart Failure Questionnaire (MLHFQ), and Heart Failure–Specific Health Literacy Scale. Data analysis was done in SPSS V20 applying Pearson correlation and Multiple linear regression using a two-step approach.

The patients included 54% women and the mean age of patients was 68.840±11.862 years. Most of the patients were unemployed (84%) and rural residents (57%) with primary education (54%) and low income (48%). Findings showed significant positive relationships between quality of life and health literacy (r=0.359, P <001), education (r= 0.381, P <001), and income (r=0.239, P <001).

Health literacy has a mediating role in the quality of life of patients with heart failure and those with higher health literacy have a better quality of life. Designing effective interventions that could improve patients’ skills for information analysis, performance, and quality of life seems necessary.