PURPOSE
The purpose of this study was to test a hypothetical model of health-related quality of life in patients with heart failure. The hypothetical model was derived from the Wilson and Cleary's model, the Rector's model, and published research findings.
METHODS
Data from 103 patients with heart failure were analyzed to determine the best multivariate health-related quality of life model given variables derived from the prior studies. The statistics programs SPSS 12.0 and LISREL 8.7 program were used for descriptive statistics and covariance structure analysis respectively.
RESULTS
The overall fitness of the path final model was good(GFI=.97, AGFI=.95, NNFI=1.06, NFI=.96, p=.96). Symptoms were directly affected by gender. HYHA Class was directly affected by only gender. Physical functioning limitation was directly affected by exercise. Health perception was directly affected by economics, symptom, and physical functioning limitation. Depression was directly affected by exercise and health perception. Heath-related quality of life was directly affected by physical functioning limitation and depression, indirectly affected by gender, economics, exercise, symptoms, NYHA Class, and health perception. This path analysis model explained 51% of health-related quality of life in patients with heart failure.
CONCLUSION
To improve of health-related quality of life with heart failure patients, it is necessary to make nursing interventions for physical functioning and depression.
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