Factors influencing self‐care behaviour in patients with heart failure: Grit as a behavioural support factor

• Published in: International journal of nursing practice Vol. 30; no. 2; pp. e13151 - n/a
• Main Authors: Song, Hyun Jin, Kim, Hye Young, Park, Sookkyoung, Lee, Sun Hwa
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Australia Wiley Subscription Services, Inc 01.04.2024
• Subjects: Cardiology; Clinical nursing; Cognitive-behavioral factors; Computerized medical records; Cross-Sectional Studies; Efficacy; Environmental aspects; Environmental factors; grit; Health behavior; health behaviour; Health care; Heart failure; Heart Failure - therapy; Humans; Intervention; Medical records; Nursing; Patients; Self Care; Self Efficacy; Social cognitive theory; Social support; Surveys and Questionnaires; heart failure; health behaviour; nursing; grit; self‐care
• ISSN: 1322-7114; 1440-172X
• DOI: 10.1111/ijn.13151

Aims This study aimed to examine the relationship between heart failure knowledge, self‐efficacy, social support, grit and self‐care behaviour in patients with heart failure and to identify factors associated with patients' self‐care behaviour. Background Most patients with heart failure are not as active in implementing self‐care behavioural practices as recommended by the guidelines. Design This descriptive cross‐sectional study was designed based on Bandura's Social Cognitive Theory. Methods This study included 138 patients who were diagnosed with heart failure in an outpatient department of cardiology at a tertiary hospital in Korea. Data were collected between July and October 2020 using a structured questionnaire and electronic medical records. Data were analysed using the SPSS/WIN 27.0 program. Results Grit had the strongest association with self‐care behaviour among patients with heart failure, followed by social support, self‐efficacy and heart failure knowledge. These variables accounted for approximately 52% of the variance in self‐care behaviour. Conclusions Health‐care professionals should assess patients' grit and develop patient‐tailored grit enhancement programmes. Based on the social cognitive theory, nursing intervention programmes that can simultaneously manage cognitive (knowledge and self‐efficacy), social and environmental (social support) and behavioural support (grit) factors should be developed and applied to nursing practices to promote self‐care. Summary statement What is already known about this topic? Most patients with heart failure are not as active in implementing self‐care behavioural practices as recommended by the guidelines. Social cognitive theory is conceptualized as cognitive, social, environmental and behavioural in nature. Self‐care behaviour can be influenced by multi‐dimensional factors, including cognitive factors, such as knowledge and self‐efficacy, and social and environmental factors, such as social support. What this paper adds? Grit—a behavioural supporting element—was confirmed as a factor influencing the self‐care behaviour of patients with heart failure. The implications of this paper: Interventions for enhancing patients' grit should be developed; self‐efficacy, social support and heart failure knowledge for patients with heart failure should be considered in clinical nursing settings. Health‐care professionals should assess patients' grit and develop patient‐tailored grit enhancement programmes.