Examining Quality of Life and its Related Factors in Patients With Chronic Heart Failure Admitted to Hospitals in Ahvaz in 2015

Abstract

Background: Currently, examining the quality of life is considered an important aspect of the study of chronic diseases. Heart failure affects the quality of life of patients in different degrees. Objectives: This study aimed to evaluate the quality of life in heart failure patients. Patients and Methods: This descriptive-analytical research was conducted in 2015, using 126 patients with heart failure at the general hospitals in the city of Ahvaz, Iran. Sampling was performed using a simple method. Data was collected through interviews and a demographic information and quality of life indicator questionnaire, known as the Minnesota living with heart failure questionnaire (MLHFQ). Data were analyzed using the SPSS software, version 21, with a significance level of 0.05, and the descriptive statistics used were the Pearson correlation coefficient and the Chi-square test. Results: The results showed that 77.7 percent of patients had a low quality of life, 18.2 percent had a moderate quality of life, and only 3.2 percent had a high quality of life. A significant correlation was found between quality of life and the demographic characteristics of age, sex, education level, marital status (P = 0.01) and frequency of admission to the hospital (P = 0.01). Conclusions: The results showed that heart failure had a negative impact on the quality of life for patients. Therefore, evaluation and improvement of quality of life for these patients should be considered one of the duties of nurses.