What kind of patient education and self-care support do patients with heart failure receive, and by whom? Implementation of the ESC guidelines for heart failure in three European regions

Karolien Baldewijns; Josiane Boyne; Carla Rohde; Lieven de Maesschalck; Aleidis Devillé; Vincent Brandenburg; Leentje De Bleser; Mieke Derickx; Sema Bektas; Hans-Peter Brunner-La Rocca

doi:10.1016/j.hrtlng.2022.07.013

What kind of patient education and self-care support do patients with heart failure receive, and by whom? Implementation of the ESC guidelines for heart failure in three European regions

Heart Lung. 2023 Jan-Feb:57:25-30. doi: 10.1016/j.hrtlng.2022.07.013. Epub 2022 Aug 19.

Affiliations

¹ Mobilab&Care, Thomasmore University of Applied Sciences, Kleinhoefstraat 4, 2440 Geel, Belgium; Maastricht University Medical Centre, Cardiology Department P. Debeyelaan 25, 6229 HX Maastricht, the Netherlands. Electronic address: karolien.baldewijns@thomasmore.be.
² Maastricht University Medical Centre, Cardiology Department P. Debeyelaan 25, 6229 HX Maastricht, the Netherlands.
³ Mobilab&Care, Thomasmore University of Applied Sciences, Kleinhoefstraat 4, 2440 Geel, Belgium.
⁴ Social Work Department Thomasmore University of Applied Sciences, Kleinhoefstraat 4, 2440 Geel, Belgium.
⁵ UniversitätsKlinikum Aachen Pauwelsstraße 30, 52074 Aachen, Germany; Rhein-Maas Klinikum Wuerselen, Mauerfeldchen 25, 52146 Würselen, Germany.
⁶ Nursing Department, Thomas More University College, Zandpoortvest 60, 2800 Mechelen, Belgium.
⁷ Maastricht University, Minderbroersberg 4 -6, 6221 LK Maastricht, the Netherlands.
⁸ Maastricht University Medical Centre, Cardiology Department P. Debeyelaan 25, 6229 HX Maastricht, the Netherlands; CARIM School for Cardiovascular Diseases, Universiteitssingel 50, 6229 ER Maastricht, the Netherlands.

PMID: 35994805
DOI: 10.1016/j.hrtlng.2022.07.013

Abstract

Background: In order to manage Heart Failure (HF) properly, both pharmacological and non-pharmacological interventions including patient education and self-care (SC) support are important. Appropriate health care (HC) professional support is necessary to improve patient SC-skills. However, little is known which HC-professionals deliver specific education and support in daily HF-care.

Objectives: To describe patient-education and SC-support as perceived by different HC-professionals in three neighboring North-West European regions: Maastricht(the Netherlands), Noorder-Kempen(Belgium), Aachen (Germany).

Methods: Semi-structured interviews with cardiologists, HF-nurses and general practitioners (GPs) were performed, followed by qualitative content analysis with a five-step approach: 1) familiarization with data, 2) initial coding with an a-priori code manual, 3) structuring of data in main themes, 4) revision and recoding of initial codes and 5) synthesizing codes in main themes.

Results: The sample consisted of 15 cardiologists, 35 GPs and 8 HF-nurses. All interviewed HC-professionals provide HF patient-education, yet, the extent differs between them. Whereas HF-nurses identify patient-education and SC-support as one of their main tasks, physicians report that they provide little education. Moreover, little patient education takes place in primary care; with almost none of the GPs reporting to educate patients about SC. GPs in region 2 refer HF-patients to their practice nurse for education and SC-support. None of the HC-professionals reported to provide patients with all key-topics for patient education and SC-support as defined by the ESC.

Conclusion: HF nurses consider patient-education and SC-support as one of their main tasks, whereas physicians pay limited attention to education. In none of the three regions, all recommended topics are addressed.

Keywords: Education; Heart failure; Qualitative research; Self-care.

MeSH terms

Attitude of Health Personnel
Germany
Heart Failure* / therapy
Humans
Patient Education as Topic
Self Care*