Barriers to effective self-management in cardiac patients: The patient's experience

• Published in: Patient education and counseling Vol. 79; no. 1; pp. 69 - 76
• Main Authors: Mead, Holly, Andres, Ellie, Ramos, Christal, Siegel, Bruce, Regenstein, Marsha
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Ireland Elsevier Ireland Ltd 01.04.2010
• Subjects: Access barriers; Adolescent; Adult; Cardiac rehabilitation; Chronic Disease; Chronic heart disease; Continuity of Patient Care; Disadvantaged people; Disease Management; Female; Focus Groups; Health Services Accessibility; Health Services Needs and Demand; Health status; Health Status Disparities; Heart diseases; Heart Diseases - rehabilitation; Humans; Internal Medicine; Low-income and minority patients; Male; Medically Underserved Area; Middle Aged; Nursing; Patient care; Patient Satisfaction; Patients; Self Care; Self-management; Selfmanagement; Social Support; Treatment Outcome; United States; Young Adult; United States; Self-management; Chronic heart disease; Focus groups; Access barriers; Low-income and minority patients; Cardiac rehabilitation
• ISSN: 0738-3991; 1873-5134
• DOI: 10.1016/j.pec.2009.08.003

Abstract Objective This paper identifies common obstacles impeding effective self-management among patients with heart disease and explores how for disadvantaged patients access barriers interfere with typical management challenges to undermine patients’ efforts to care for their illnesses. Methods We convened 33 focus group discussions with heart patients in 10 U.S. communities. Using content analysis, we identified and grouped the most common barriers that emerged in focus group discussions. Results We identified nine major themes reflecting issues related to patients’ ability to care for and manage their heart conditions. We grouped the themes into three domains of interest: (1) barriers that interfere with getting necessary services, (2) barriers that impede the monitoring and management of a heart condition on a daily basis, and (3) supports that enable self-management and improve care. Conclusion For disadvantaged populations, typical problems associated with self-management of a heart condition are aggravated by substantial obstacles to accessing care. Practice implications Ensuring disadvantaged patients with chronic heart conditions are linked to formal systems of care, such as cardiac rehabilitation programs, could better develop patients’ self-management skills, reduce barriers to receiving care and improve the overall health outcomes of these patients.