SELF-CARE PROCESS IN CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE: OBSERVATIONAL STUDY ON OUTPATIENTS’ PATHWAY

"Background. Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is a chronic non-communicable illness that causes more than half of all deaths across Europe. 80% of premature heart disease and stroke is preventable by effective measures availability for people at high risk. However, many such interventions are not being implemented and managed by patients. Managing such illness requires mastering self-care. Objective. Aim of our study was to identify predictive factors of illness management by evaluating emotional characteristics, emotion regulation, and self-care process in young CVD outpatients. Methods. An observational study was conducted. 61 patients, age 18–75 years (M 56.4 ± sd 12.0), diagnosed with CVD participated in the study. The psychological battery was administered during clinical follow-up: Self Care of Chronic Illness Inventory, Depression Anxiety Stress Scale-21, World Health Organization Quality of Life – Bref, Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale. Results. The sample showed mild Anxiety and Stress degree, low Self-care, Social relationship, and emotional Clarity. First, participants were distributed into two groups by median age: Young (Y) and Old (O). Statistical analysis showed significant lower Psychological health (p = 0.03) and higher Non acceptance of emotional responses (p = 0.02) in O group. Then, participants were distributed in two groups by timing from CVD diagnosis: Early Disease (ED) and Long Disease (LD). One Way ANOVA showed lower emotional Awareness (p=0.03) in LD group. Controlling for diagnosis timing, negative Pearson’s correlations emerged between difficulties in emotion regulation domains and self-care monitoring, self-efficacy and QoL. Conclusions. Poor adherence to CVD pharmacological therapy could be addressed by identifying the emotional characteristics, subjective emotion ability, and self-care process of patients who are or may be at risk of non-persistence. The psychological screening and tailored psychological support on these predictive factors may result in clinical benefits."