Article

Gender-specific barriers and facilitators to heart failure self-care: a mixed methods study.

School of Nursing, University of Pennsylvania, 420 Guardian Drive, Philadelphia, PA 19104-6096, United States.
International journal of nursing studies (impact factor: 1.91). 07/2010; 47(7):888-95. DOI:10.1016/j.ijnurstu.2009.12.011
Source: PubMed

ABSTRACT Although approximately half of adults with heart failure (HF) are women, relatively little is known about gender differences and similarities in HF self-care.
The aim of this study was to describe HF self-care in men and women and to identify gender-specific barriers and facilitators influencing HF self-care.
A total of 27 adults (8 women) with chronic HF participated in a cross-sectional, comparative mixed methods study. An analysis of in-depth interviews was used to describe gender-specific barriers and facilitators of self-care. After the interview data were analyzed, the results were confirmed in quantitative data obtained from the same sample and at the same time. Concordance between qualitative and quantitative data was assessed.
There were no consistent gender-specific differences in self-care practices but there were distinct gender differences in the decisions made in interpreting and responding to symptoms. The men were better than the women at interpreting their symptoms as being related to HF and in initiating treatment. These differences were associated with differences in self-care confidence, social support, and mood.
Gender-specific differences in self-care behaviors are minimal. However, gender-specific barriers and facilitators greatly influence the choice of self-care behaviors.

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    Article: Women with heart failure are at high psychosocial risk: a systematic review of how sex and gender influence heart failure self-care.
    Jody R Thomas, Alexander M Clark
    [show abstract] [hide abstract]
    ABSTRACT: To improve patient support, it is important to understand how people view and experience Heart Failure (HF) self-care. This systematic review of qualitative studies included all published studies that examine the influence of sex and gender on HF self-care. A systematic search was done for papers (1995-2010) indexed in Ovid MEDLINE, Ovid Medline, Ovid EMBASE, Ovid PsycINFO, CSA Sociological Abstracts, OVID AARP Ageline, EBSCO Academic Search Complete, EBSCO CINAHL, EBSCO SocINDEX, ISI Web of Science: Social Sciences Citation Index and Science Citation Index Expanded, and Scopus. After screening of 537 citations, six qualitative studies identified that differences existed in perceptions of symptoms with women having less family involvement and psychosocial support around self-care. Moreover, women had considerably more negative views of the future, themselves and their ability to fulfill social self-care roles. Women with HF represent a highly vulnerable population and need more support for psychosocial wellbeing and self-care.
    Cardiology research and practice. 01/2011; 2011:918973.
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Keywords

8 women
 
chronic HF
 
comparative mixed methods study
 
Concordance
 
consistent gender-specific differences
 
facilitators influencing HF self-care
 
gender differences
 
gender-specific barriers
 
Gender-specific differences
 
heart failure
 
HF self-care
 
in-depth interviews
 
initiating treatment
 
interview data
 
quantitative data
 
self-care behaviors
 
self-care confidence
 
self-care practices
 
social support
 
women