Anxiety, Depression and Quality of Life among Patients with Heart Failure

Introduction: Heart failure as a chronic progressive disorder is a common and costly health problem throughout the world, affecting all aspects of patient quality of life. Patients with heart failure experience high level of anxiety and depression and their quality of life decrease significantly. Although it is important to study the quality of life in heart failure patients, there has been no comprehensive study in this regard in Iran. The present study aimed to assessment of the level of anxiety, depression, and quality of life among patients with heart failure. Methodology: The research community of this descriptive-analytical study included 251 patients with heart failure who were hospitalized in three hospitals of Ahvaz Jundishapur University through a six months period. The Minnesota questionnaire, State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, and Beck Depression Inventory were used to evaluate quality of life and the levels of anxiety and depression, respectively. Findings: Mean age of the participants was 65.8 years +/- 9.8 years. Mean score for patients' physical, mental, and general quality of life were 24.10 +/- 7.15, 15.6 +/- 4.96, and 62.23 +/- 19.44, respectively. The results indicated low quality of life of the participants. Mean score for State and trait anxiety, and depression level were 48.40 +/- 9.85, 51.98 +/- 8.45, and 46.54 +/- 12.15, respectively. The results revealed high levels of both trait and state anxiety in patients. According to the score the 97% of patients suffers from depression. Moreover, the results of this study demonstrated that variables factors including old age, low education level, low economic status, the number of admissions (more than four times), and advanced stages of disease (class III and IV) were associated with low quality of life and high anxiety and depression level (p<0.001). Conclusion: In this study, patients with heart failure had low quality of life and high levels of anxiety and depression. Therefore, the results of this study are a warning for researchers and physicians in order to provide care giving training and psychological supports to improve condition of patients with Heart failure.