The Effect of Discharge Planning Videos and Booklets on Quality of Life Among Patients With Heart Failure: Quasi-Experimental Study.

Abstract

Background: Heart failure remains a major global health issue, significantly impacting patients' quality of life due to its chronic and progressive nature. Effective discharge planning, including educational interventions such as videos and booklets, plays a crucial role in enhancing self-care management and overall patient well-being.

Objective: The aim of this study is to evaluate the effects of discharge planning videos and booklets on the quality of life of patients with heart failure.

Methods: This study used a quasi-experimental design and was conducted at PKU Muhammadiyah Gamping Hospital from July to November 2024. A total of 42 participants who met the inclusion criteria were selected based on sample size calculations using G*Power and were evenly assigned to intervention and control groups. Both groups received standard discharge planning provided by health care professionals. Discharge planning videos and booklets were developed as educational tools for the intervention group. The Minnesota Living With Heart Failure Questionnaire was used to assess quality of life. The independent sample t test was used to analyze the effect of the intervention using SPSS (version 29). This study was conducted in accordance with the ethical principles outlined in the Declaration of Helsinki and was approved by the institutional review board (number 150/KEP-PKU/VII/2024).

Results: The intervention significantly improved the quality of life of patients with heart failure, with the mean score decreasing from 39.00 (SD 8.11) to 24.76 (SD 4.02; P<.001) in the intervention group. In contrast, the control group showed minimal change, from 39.90 (SD 5.89) to 40.24 (SD 5.84), resulting in a statistically significant between-group difference of 15.58 (P<.001). Furthermore, the effect size was large (Cohen d=3.09), suggesting a strong practical significance of the intervention in enhancing the quality of life among patients with heart failure. Moreover, the mean Minnesota Living With Heart Failure Questionnaire scores across 4 domains-physical, mental, emotional, and social-also showed significant improvements after the intervention. The intervention group experienced reductions in all domains: physical (9.95 to 6.76), mental (7.81 to 5.62), emotional (13.19 to 7.48), and social (8.05 to 4.90), whereas the control group showed minimal or no change. These results indicate that the intervention effectively improved patients' quality of life across multiple dimensions.

Conclusions: Discharge planning through videos and booklets may improve the quality of life of patients with heart failure compared to standard care. These findings highlight the potential clinical value of structured patient education. The intervention appeared to enhance patients' understanding of their condition and support self-management behaviors, including adherence to lifestyle recommendations. However, they should be interpreted with caution and confirmed through further studies with larger and more diverse populations.