Building skill in heart failure self-care among community dwelling older adults: Results of a pilot study

Objective

Most of the day-to-day care for heart failure (HF) is done by the patient at home and requires skill in self-care. In this randomized controlled trial (RCT) we tested the efficacy of a community-based skill-building intervention on HF self-care, knowledge and health-related quality of life (HRQL) at 1- and 3-months.

Methods

An ethnically diverse sample (n = 75) of patients with HF (53% female; 32% Hispanic, 27% Black; mean age 69.9 ± 10 years) was randomized to the intervention group (IG) or a wait-list control group (CG). The protocol intervention focused on tactical and situational HF self-care skill development delivered by lay health educators in community senior centers. Data were analyzed using mixed (between–within subjects) ANOVA.

Results

There was a significant improvement in self-care maintenance F(2, 47) = 3.42, p = .04, (Cohen's f = .38)], self-care management F(2, 41) = 4.10, p = .02, (Cohen's f = .45) and HF knowledge F(2, 53) = 8.00, p = .001 (Cohen's f = .54)] in the IG compared to the CG.

Conclusions

The skill-building intervention improved self-care and knowledge but not HRQL in this community-dwelling sample.

Practice implications

Delivering an intervention in a community setting using lay health educators provides an alternative to clinic- or home-based teaching that may be useful across diverse populations and geographically varied settings.