Perceived Barriers and Facilitators to Occupational Performance Coaching for Heart Failure Patients: A Qualitative Study

Abstract

Background: Patients with heart failure may experience limitations in daily activities and participation. Occupational performance coaching (OPC) is a person-centered, occupation-based intervention that may support participation and self-care. Objectives: This study aimed to investigate the attitudes and experiences of patients with heart failure regarding OPC, analyze barriers and facilitating factors in implementing this approach, and enhance education and the effectiveness of occupation-based interventions. Methods: This content analysis study used semi-structured interviews with 13 participants from the intervention group of a clinical trial that investigated the effectiveness of OPC in improving participation and self-care in patients with heart failure. Facilitators and barriers to implementing the OPC intervention were identified from the participants’ perspectives. Results: The findings comprised two main themes: Facilitating factors and barriers to implementing the OPC intervention. Within the facilitating-factors theme, 3 categories and 7 subcategories were identified; within the limiting-factors theme, 2 categories and 7 subcategories were identified. Conclusions: Physical condition and motivation play important roles in the success of the OPC intervention, whereas time constraints and physical, psychological, and economic constraints negatively affect patient participation. Social support and the use of virtual spaces help increase participation. These results indicate that patients with heart failure welcome person-centered interventions and that individual and environmental factors are important in facilitating or limiting the treatment process.