Table 1. Characteristics of the Sample.
| Patients Mean ± SD or n (%) |
Caregivers Mean ± SD or n (%) |
|
|---|---|---|
| Age (years) | 75.6 ± 11.7 | 57.2 ± 14.3 |
| Gender (female) | 85 (46.5%) | 107 (67.3%) |
| Educationa | 46 (25.1%) | 87 (51.2%) |
| Employed | 23 (12.6%) | 89 (52.1%) |
| Spousal Caregiver | - | 51 (32.5%) |
| NYHA Class III/IV | 94 (51.4%) | - |
| EF (%) | 43.9 ± 12.4 | - |
| HF Duration (months) | 60.7 ± 49.4 | - |
| Prior hospitalizationb | 100 (54.6%) | - |
| Comorbiditiesc | 3.18 ± 1.4 | - |
| Cognition (MMSE) | 22.8 ± 7.1 | - |
| Caregiver Strain | - | 10.2 ± 9.5 |
| Mental Health Status | - | 48.5 ± 9.4 |
| Physical Health Status | - | 46.4 ± 8.8 |
| Self-Care Maintenance | 56.7 ± 16.5 | 58.5 ± 19.2 |
| Self-Care Management | 50.0 ± 21.6 | 56.7 ± 19.8 |
| Clinical Events Distribution: | ||
| Alive Without Event | 68 (37.2%) | - |
| Death (All-Cause) | 60 (32.8%) | - |
| HF Hospitalization | 36 (19.7%) | - |
| HF ED Visit | 19 (10.4%) | - |
a
Education: High School, Professional School, or University versus not
b
Hospitalization (yes/no) in year prior to enrollment
c
Comorbidities: Charlson Comorbidity Index score
NYHA Class: New York Heart Association Class; EF: ejection fraction; HF: heart failure; MMSE: Mini Mental State Exam; ED: emergency department