Psychosocial Determinants of Self-care Behavior in Outpatients with Heart Failure: A Test of Penderʼs Health Promotion Model

Patients with heart failure need to be engaged in adequate cardiac self-care behaviors helping to prevent the development of the disease and ameliorate their health status.However, the conceptual model of the present study has not been tested in previous studiesamong patients with heart failure.

The present study aimed to investigate the psychosocial determinantsbased on Pender’s health promotionmodel (HPM) affecting self-care behavior among outpatients suffering from heart failure.

In this cross-sectional study, a total of 200 patients suffering from heart failure were selectedfrom the outpatient clinics of Tabriz, Iran, using conveniencesampling and assessed for self-self-care behaviors and major concepts of HPMvia self-administered questionnaires. Path analysis was used in order to analyze the conceptual model.

The present hypothetical model showed a good fit. Perceived benefits and activity-related affectdirectly affected self-care behaviors. Bootstrapping mediation analyses indicated that perceived self-efficacy, perceived barriers, perceived benefits, and activity-related affect indirectly affected self-care behaviors through commitment to action.

The commitment to action can help to promote self-care behaviors among the subjects suffering from heart failure. The interventions should take the role of predictive variables of this study and commitment to action into account in these patients.