The Relationship of Health Literacy with Heart Failure Symptoms and Quality of Life Open Access

Bhamani, Shifa (Fall 2023)

Permanent URL: https://etd.library.emory.edu/concern/etds/p5547s975?locale=en
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Abstract

Abstract

 

The Relationship of Health Literacy with Heart Failure Symptoms and Quality of Life

By [Shifa Bhamani]

 

 

Study Objective: To examine the association between health literacy and heart failure symptoms and quality of life in patients hospitalized for heart failure.

Study Design: This study explored the relationships between health literacy and heart failure symptoms and quality of life using data from the study, “Predicting Readmissions with mHealth Technologies” (PRemHealth). The analysis examined the relationship between exposures (health literacy, functional subjective literacy, and numeracy understanding or NUMI-S) with the baseline KCCQ-12 score(Kansas City Cardiomyopathy Questionnaire scores) as the outcome, which measures heart failure symptoms and quality of life. We considered covariates including age, sex, race, education, and heart failure descriptors using linear regression models. We also examined the determinants of health literacy.

Results: The cohort (n=87) had a median age of 64, was majority black or African American (60.9%), male (57.8%), at the time of enrollment. We found a significant negative correlation with heart failure and communicative subjective literacy, and no relationships with functional subjective literacy. Inotrope use, coronary artery disease history, and implantable cardiac defibrillator presence associated with health literacy. Education also associated with higher literacy, especially numeracy. White race was also associated with higher health literacy.

Conclusions: In this cohort of hospitalized patients with heart failure symptoms, we observed a significant negative correlation with communicative skills and heart failure symptoms severity as measured by the KCCQ-12. Factors like inotropes, CAD history, and ICD presence are important contributing factors to health literacy. White race and education are particularly important sociodemographic exposures of increased health literacy. These relationships warrant additional research and may contribute to future research on prevention efforts in heart failure.

 

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

Introduction..................................................................................................................................8-9

Background and LiteratureReview.............................................................................................9-13

Methods....................................................................................................................................13-18

       Data Source ......................................................................................................................13-14

       Data collection .................................................................................................................14-15 

       Study subjects .......................................................................................................................15 

       Measurements ..................................................................................................................16-18

Data Analysis.................................................................................................................................18

Results .....................................................................................................................................19-26

Discussion.................................................................................................................................26-27

       Strengths and Limitations ................................................................................................27-28

Conclusion ...............................................................................................................................28-29

Tables and Graphs....................................................................................................................29-35

References................................................................................................................................36-38

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