Abstract
Introduction:
Coping is an essential element of self-management in chronic conditions such as heart failure (HF) where patients experience poor physical and emotional health outcomes. Coping strategies (problem-focused, active, and avoidant) often determine patients’ well-being. Although multiple factors are known to be associated with the selection of coping strategies in HF, the evidence is limited and inconclusive. Specifically, clarity on the association between HF patients’ demographics (age, sex, education, income), disease duration, and symptom severity with coping strategies is needed.
Research Questions:
This in-progress study seeks answers to the following questions: 1) Identify the association between demographics, disease duration, and symptom severity and coping strategies (problem-focused, active and avoidant); 2) Examine the association between the three types of coping strategies and physical and emotional health status outcomes; 3) Describe the mediating effect of coping strategies on the relationship between the reported symptom severity and subsequent physical and emotional health outcomes.
Conceptual framework:
This study is guided by the Stress and Coping model that consists of three components: antecedents of stress, coping strategies, and adaptational outcomes.
Methods:
This in-progress study uses a cross-sectional descriptive design examining associations and potential mediators. A total of 112 HF patients will be recruited online using
ResearchMatch
, a secure online tool that aims to match researchers with target participants, and in-person from cardiovascular clinics in Michigan. The inclusion criteria are: 1) HF diagnosis, 2) a New York Heart Association classification ≥ II; 3) aged over 18; 4) speak and read in English. The Brief COPE and the Minnesota Living with Heart Failure Questionnaire (MLHFQ) will be used to measure coping strategies and health outcomes, respectively. A mediation model was proposed to illustrate the mechanism in which coping mediates the influence of symptom severity on health status outcomes.
Conclusion:
This study will provide insight into coping strategies utilized by HF patients and highlight the influence of demographics, disease duration, and symptom severity on coping.