Gender differences in self-care maintenance and its associations among patients with chronic heart failure

Objectives:To identify the gender differences in self-care maintenance and its associations among chronic heart failure patients using the Information-Motivation-Behavioral Skills model.Methods:Two hundred and ten patients(54.0%female)with chronic heart failure participated in this cross-sectional study.Self-care,knowledge of heart failure,social support and illness perception were measured using the Self-Care of Heart Failure Index,the questionnaire of heart failure knowledge,the Perceived Social Support Scale,and the Revised Illness Perception Questionnaire,respectively.Results:Mean scores for self-care maintenance were 51.4±14.8 in men and 55.6±14.1 in women(t=-2.066,P<0.05).Associated factors of self-care maintenance were social support and self-care confidence in men and the knowledge of heart failure,self-care management and self-care confidence in women.The relationship between social support and self-care maintenance was meditated by selfcare confidence in men,whereas the relationship between knowledge of heart failure and self-care maintenance was meditated by self-care management and self-care confidence in women.Conclusions:Self-care maintenance were inadequate in both genders with chronic heart failure.Interventions for enhancing social support and self-care confidence in men patients,and strengthening knowledge of heart failure,self-care management and self-care confidence in women patients,may facilitate self-care maintenance.