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Publication MOTIVATional intErviewing to Improve Self-Care in Heart Failure Patients (MOTIVATE-HF): Study Protocol of a Three-Arm Multicenter Randomized Controlled Trial(2017-04-01) Vellone, Ercole; Paturzo, Marco; D'Agostino, Fabio; Petruzzo, Antonio; Masci, Stefano; Ausili, Davide; Rebora, Paola; Alvaro, Rosaria; Riegel, BarbaraAims Heart Failure (HF) self-care improves patient outcomes but trials designed to improve HF self-care have shown inconsistent results. Interventions may be more effective in improving self-care if they mobilize support from providers, promote self-efficacy, increase understanding of HF, increase the family involvement, and are individualized. All of these elements are emphasized in motivational interviewing (MI); few trials have been conducted using MI in HF patients and rarely have caregivers been involved in MI interventions. The aim of this study will be to evaluate if MI improves self-care maintenance in HF patients, and to determine if MI improves the following secondary outcomes: a) in HF patients: self-care management, self-care confidence, symptom perception, quality of life, anxiety/depression, cognition, sleep quality, mutuality with caregiver, hospitalizations, use of emergency services, and mortality; b) in caregivers: caregiver contribution to self-care, quality of life, anxiety/depression, sleep, mutuality with patient, preparedness, and social support. Methods A three-arm randomized controlled trial will be conducted in a sample of 240 HF patients and caregivers. Patients and caregivers will be randomized to the following arms: 1) MI intervention to patients only; 2) MI intervention to patients and caregivers; 3) standard of care to patients and caregivers. The primary outcome will be measured in patients 3 months after enrollment. Primary and secondary outcomes also will be evaluated 6, 9 and 12 months after enrollment. Conclusion This study will contribute to understand if MI provided to patients and caregivers can improve self-care. Because HF is rising in prevalence, findings can be useful to reduce the burden of the disease.Publication Social Support and Self-Care of Patients with Heart Failure(2008-02-20) Sayers, Steven L; Riegel, Barbara; Pawlowski, Stephanie; Coyne, James C; Samaha, Frederick FBackground Social support can influence treatment adherence of patients with chronic illnesses, which may explain the positive effects of social support on heart failure (HF) outcomes. Purpose To investigate the effects of social support among patients with HF, we examined whether aspects of social support were associated with self-care, including medication adherence, dietary adherence, and HF symptom monitoring functions. Methods We recruited 74 patients with HF from cardiology clinics of a Veterans Affairs Medical Center and a university-affiliated hospital, and tested the relationships between social support and the patients' self-care. Results Consistent with previous research in older adults, family members, especially spouses, were often involved in the medical care of patients with chronic HF and provided a range of levels of support to patients. Self-care was generally poor, as measured across several self-care domains. Perceived social support was moderately associated with relatively better self-reported medication and dietary adherence, and other aspects of self-care such as daily weighing. Conclusions These findings suggest that a relatively higher level of self-care is an important correlate of social support and may explain how social support influences HF outcomes. This study also suggests that family members should play a greater part in clinical care focused on improving self-care.Publication Qualitative Analysis of Naturalistic Decision Making in Adults with Chronic Heart Failure(2013-03-01) Riegel, Barbara; Dickson, Victoria V; Topaz, MaximBackground: Self-care of heart failure has been described as a naturalistic decision-making process, but the data available to defend this description are anecdotal. Objectives: The aim of this study was to explore the process used by adults with chronic heart failure to make decisions about their symptoms. Methods: This was a secondary analysis of data obtained from four mixed methods studies. The full data set held qualitative data on 120 adults over the age of 18 years. For this analysis, maximum variation sampling was used to purposively select a subset of 36 of the qualitative interviews to reanalyze. Results: In this sample, equally distributed by gender, 56% Caucasian, between 40 and 98 years, the overarching theme was that decisions about self-care reflect a naturalistic decision-making process with components of situation awareness with mental simulation of a plausible course of action and an evaluation of the outcome of the action. In addition to situation awareness and mental simulation, three key factors were identified as influencing self-care decision making: (a) experience; (b) decision characteristics such as uncertainty, ambiguity, high stakes, urgency, illness, and involvement of others in the decision-making process; and (c) personal goals. Discussion: These results support naturalistic decision making as the process used by this sample of adults with heart failure to make decisions about self-care.Publication Palliative Care: Is Now the Time?(2018-01-02) Riegel, Barbara; Kimmel, Stephen EPalliative care is an approach that focuses on optimizing quality of life for patients and families affected by serious illness, regardless of prognosis. It comprises pain and symptom management; psychological, spiritual, and social support; assistance with treatment decision-making; and complex care coordination. Mounting evidence indicates that palliative care reduces symptom burden, improves mood, decreases healthcare utilization, and improves quality of life for both patients with end-stage heart disease and their caregivers. Indeed, there is a consensus among major clinical guidelines of the importance of early integration of palliative care as an essential component of high quality care for patients with heart failure, a growing use of palliative care in patients with end-stage heart disease, and a clear desire of patients for such care.Publication Using Growth Mixture Modeling to Identify Classes of Sodium Adherence in Adults with Heart Failure(2014-05-01) Masterson-Creber, Ruth; Lee, Christopher S; Lennie, Terry A; Topaz, Maxim; Riegel, BarbaraBACKGROUND: The prevention of fluid retention is important to reduce hospitalizations in patients with heart failure (HF). Following a low-sodium diet helps to reduce fluid retention. OBJECTIVE: The primary objective of this study was to use growth mixture modeling to identify distinct classes of sodium adherence-characterized by shared growth trajectories of objectively measured dietary sodium. The secondary objective was to identify patient-level determinants of the nonadherent trajectory. METHODS: This was a secondary analysis of data collected from a prospective longitudinal study of 279 community-dwelling adults with previously or currently symptomatic HF. Growth mixture modeling was used to identify distinct trajectories of change in 24-hour urinary sodium excretion measured at 3 time points over 6 months. Logistic modeling was used to predict membership in observed trajectories. RESULTS: The sample was predominantly male (64%), had a mean age of 62 years, was functionally compromised (59% New York Heart Association class III), and had nonischemic HF etiology. Two distinct trajectories of sodium intake were identified and labeled adherent (66%) and nonadherent (34%) to low-sodium diet recommendations. Three predictors of the nonadherent trajectory were identified, confirming our previous mixed-effect analysis. Compared with being normal weight (body mass index/m2), being overweight and obese was associated with a 4-fold incremental increase in the likelihood of being in the nonadherent trajectory (odds ratio [OR], 4.63; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.66-12.91; P < .002). Being younger than 65 years (OR, 4.66; 95% CI, 1.04-20.81; P = .044) or having diabetes (OR, 4.15; 95% CI, 1.29-13.40; P = .016) were both associated with more than 4 times the odds of being in the nonadherent urine sodium trajectory compared with being older than 65 years or not having diabetes, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Two distinct trajectories of sodium intake were identified in patients with HF. The nonadherent trajectory was characterized by an elevated pattern of dietary sodium intake shown by others to be associated with adverse outcomes in HF. Predictors of the nonadherent trajectory included higher body mass index, younger age, and diabetes.Publication Motivational Interviewing to Improve Self-Care for Patients with Chronic Heart Failure: MITI-HF Randomized Controlled Trial(2016-02-01) Masterson-Creber, Ruth; Patey, Megan; Lee, Christopher S; Kuan, Amy; Jurgens, Corrine Y; Riegel, BarbaraOBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to test the efficacy of a tailored motivational interviewing (MI) intervention versus usual care for improving HF self-care behaviors, physical HF symptoms and quality of life. METHODS: This is a single-center, randomized controlled trial. Participants were enrolled in the hospital. Immediately after discharge, those in the intervention group received a single home visit and 3-4 follow-up phone calls by a nurse over 90 days. RESULTS: A total of 67 participants completed the study (mean age 62±12.8 years), of which 54% were African American, 30% were female, 84% had class III/IV symptoms, and 63% were educated at a high school level or less. There were no differences between the groups in self-care maintenance, self-care confidence, physical HF symptoms, or quality of life at 90 days. CONCLUSION: Patients who received the MI intervention had significant and clinically meaningful improvements in HF self-care maintenance over 90 days that exceeded that of usual care. PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS: These data support the use of a nurse-led MI intervention for improving HF self-care. Identifying methods to improve HF self-care may lead to improved clinical outcomes.Publication A Qualitative Meta-Analysis of Heart Failure Self-Care Practices among Individuals with Multiple Comorbid Conditions(2011-05-01) Dickson, Victoria V; Buck, Harleah G; Riegel, BarbaraBackground Most heart failure (HF) patients have other comorbid conditions. HF self-care requires medication and diet adherence, daily weight monitoring, and a thoughtful response to symptoms when they occur. Self-care is complicated when other chronic conditions have additional self-care requirements. The purpose of this study is to explore how comorbidity influences HF self-care. Methods Using qualitative descriptive meta-analysis techniques, transcripts from 3 mixed methods studies (n = 99) were reexamined to yield themes about perceptions about HF and self-care and to explore the influence on HF self-care. The Charlson Comorbidity Index identified comorbid conditions. Results The sample was 74% Caucasian, 66% male (mean age of 59.6 years ± 15 years). Fifty-three percent of the sample was New York Heart Association Class III. All had at least 1 other chronic condition. Narrative accounts revealed that adherence to diet, symptom monitoring, and differentiating symptoms from multiple conditions were the most challenging self-care skills. Emerging themes included 1) attitudes drive self-care prioritization and 2) fragmented self-care instruction leads to poor self-care integration and self-care skill deficits. Conclusions Individuals with multiple chronic conditions are vulnerable to poor self-care. Research testing coaching interventions that integrate self-care requirements and focus on developing skill in self-care across multiple chronic conditions is needed.Publication Identifying Distinct Risk Profiles to Predict Adverse Events among Community-Dwelling Older Adults(2017-05-04) O'Connor, Melissa; Hanlon, Alexandra; Mauer, Elizabeth; Meghani, Salimah; Masterson-Creber, Ruth; Marcantonio, Sherry; Coburn, Ken; Van Cleave, Janet; Davitt, Joan; Riegel, Barbara; Bowles, Kathryn H; Keim, Susan; Greenberg, Sherry A; Sefcik, Justine S; Topaz, Maxim; Kong, Dexia; Naylor, MaryPreventing adverse events among chronically ill older adults living in the community is a national health priority. The purpose of this study was to generate distinct risk profiles and compare these profiles in time to: hospitalization, emergency department (ED) visit or death in 371 community-dwelling older adults enrolled in a Medicare demonstration project. Guided by the Behavioral Model of Health Service Use, a secondary analysis was conducted using Latent Class Analysis to generate the risk profiles with Kaplan Meier methodology and log rank statistics to compare risk profiles. The Vuong-Lo-Mendell-Rubin Likelihood Ratio Test demonstrated optimal fit for three risk profiles (High, Medium, and Low Risk). The High Risk profile had significantly shorter time to hospitalization, ED visit, and death (p < 0.001 for each). These findings provide a road map for generating risk profiles that could enable more effective targeting of interventions and be instrumental in reducing health care costs for subgroups of chronically ill community-dwelling older adults.Publication Marital Status as an Independent Predictor of Event-Free Survival of Patients with Heart Failure(2009-01-01) Chung, Misook L; Lennie, Terry A; Riegel, Barbara; Wu, Jia-Rong; Dekker, Rebecca L; Moser, Debra KBackground: Depressive symptoms are a well-known predictor of mortality in patients with heart failure, and positive spousal support is associated with improved outcomes in these patients. However, in the context of depressive symptoms, the effect on survival of having a spouse is unknown. Objective: To determine the effect of marital status on event-free survival in patients with heart failure who did or did not have depressive symptoms. Methods: Depressive symptoms were assessed by using the Back Depression Inventory-II in patients with heart failure who were followed-up for up to 4 years to collect data on mortality and hospitalizations. Patients were grouped according to the presence and absence of depressive symptoms by using the standard cutoff score of 14 on the Beck Depression Inventory-II. Kaplan-Meier and Cox regression analyses were used to compare event-free survival for married and nonmarried patients who were stratified according to the presence or absence of depressive symptoms. Results: Of 166 patients, 56% were married, and 33% had depressive symptoms. Levels of depressive symptoms were similar between married and nonmarried patients (10.9 vs 12.1; P=.39). Married patients experienced longer event-free survival than did nonmarried patients (P=.01). Conclusions: Patients with a spouse had longer event-free survival than nonmarried patients did, even in the context of depressive symptoms.Publication Does Cognitive Impairment Predict Poor Self-Care in Patients with Heart Failure?(2010-04-21) Cameron, Jan; Worrall-Carter, Linda; Page, Karen; Riegel, Barbara; Kai Lo, Sing; Stewart, SimonAims Cognitive impairment occurs often in patients with chronic heart failure (CHF) and may contribute to sub‐optimal self‐care. This study aimed to test the impact of cognitive impairment on self‐care. Methods and Results In 93 consecutive patients hospitalized with CHF, self‐care (Self‐Care of Heart Failure Index) was assessed. Multiple regression analysis was used to test a model of variables hypothesized to predict self‐care maintenance, management, and confidence. Variables in the model were mild cognitive impairment (MCI; Mini‐Mental State Exam and Montreal Cognitive Assessment), depressive symptoms (Cardiac Depression Scale), age, gender, social isolation, education level, new diagnosis, and co‐morbid illnesses. Sixty‐eight patients (75%) were coded as having MCI and had significantly lower self‐care management (η2= 0.07, P < 0.01) and self‐confidence scores (η2= 0.05, P < 0.05). In multivariate analysis, MCI, co‐morbidity index, and NYHA class III or IV explained 20% of the variance in self‐care management (P < 0.01); MCI made the largest contribution explaining 9% of the variance. Increasing age and symptoms of depression explained 13% of the variance in self‐care confidence scores (P < 0.01). Conclusion Cognitive impairment, a hidden co‐morbidity, may impede patients' ability to make appropriate self‐care decisions. Screening for MCI may alert health professionals to those at greater risk of failed self‐care.