Journal of Research and Development
Open Access
ISSN: 2311-3278
+44-20-4587-4809
ISSN: 2311-3278
+44-20-4587-4809
Gohar Azhar, Sakeena Raza, Syed Ashad Abid, Amanda K Pangle, Amy M Schrader and Jeanne Y Wei
Background: Heart failure continues to be the leading cause of hospital admissions in adults over 65, most commonly due to poor medication compliance, lack of adequate self-care, and inadequate awareness of heart failure. Hospital admissions for heart failure are higher and health literacy is lower in Arkansas than the national average. We surveyed the heart failure knowledge level in the geriatric patients and caregivers at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences geriatric out-patient clinic.
Methods: 182 individuals responded to an anonymous survey regarding their knowledge of heart failure, including its etiology, risk factors, symptoms, and management.
Results: The subjects included patients and caregivers. About half the subjects were older than 70 and the majority were white women. Approximately 70% of the subjects had the incorrect understanding of the term “heart failure” and thought it meant that the heart had actually stopped working. A vast majority of the subjects were unaware that both weight gain and weight loss occurred in heart failure. Approximately one third of the subjects did not understand when medications should be taken for heart failure. Other important causes of CHF such as chemotherapy medications, radiation to the chest and kidney failure and were recognized by less than two-thirds of the respondents as potential causes of cardiac damage. Over 90% of the subjects indicated a desire for greater information and education on heart failure for both patients and caregivers.
Conclusions: The changing patterns of healthcare compensations based on factors such as health outcomes, and readmission rates, makes for good sense to pursue all avenues for improvements in patient care in order to maximize the positive results on health outcomes.