Kontakt 2022, 24(4/2022):286-293 | DOI: 10.32725/kont.2022.037

Chronic heart failure, depression, and its links to selected aspects: a cross-sectional studyNursing - Original article

Katka Bobčíková ^*, Radka Bužgová

University of Ostrava, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Nursing and Midwifery, Ostrava, Czech Republic

Background: The symptoms of chronic heart failure affect patients' emotional and physical well-being.

Objectives: The aim of this cross-sectional study was to determine the prevalence of depression in hospitalized patients with chronic heart failure and its links to selected aspects.

Methods: Depression was assessed with the Patient Health Questionnaire-9, data were obtained on functional independence, NYHA classes, illness perception, quality of life, and social support. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, the Kruskal-Wallis test, and Spearman's correlation coefficient at a 5% level of significance.

Results: The sample comprised 173 patients with a mean age of 71.51 years (min. 50; max. 92), of whom 56.07% were males. Depression was identified in 47.40% of subjects; the mean score was 5.65 (SD = 4.61). Depression was more frequent in NYHA classes III and IV (p = 0.0018), as well as in patients with decreasing independence (p = 0.0002). Correlation analysis using Spearman's coefficient suggested that an increasing prevalence of depression was associated with lower quality of life (rSp = 0.5470; p < 0.05), illness perception (rSp = 0.537; p < 0.05), and social support (rSp = -0.2439; p < 0.05).

Conclusions: Depression may be influenced by numerous aspects. To effectively manage depression, these aspects must be known. In hospital patients, one option could be a comprehensive intervention by a palliative team.

Keywords: Chronic heart failure; Depression; Links; NYHA

Grants and funding:

This study was supported by project SGS01/LF/2020-2021 of the internal students’ grant competition of the specific university research at the University of Ostrava.

Conflicts of interest:

The study respected the principles of the Declaration of Helsinki. It was approved by the Ethics Committee of the University Hospital Ostrava (reference number 250/2020) and by the Ethics Committee of the Faculty of Medicine, University of Ostrava (reference number 08/2020). Patients’ participation was voluntary and anonymous. By filling in the questionnaire, respondents agreed to participate in the study. The authors have no conflict of interests to declare.

Received: August 24, 2022; Revised: November 11, 2022; Accepted: December 13, 2022; Prepublished online: December 15, 2022; Published: December 19, 2022  Show citation