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. Author manuscript; available in PMC: 2020 Apr 23.
Published in final edited form as: J Cardiovasc Nurs. 2019 Mar-Apr;34(2):183–192. doi: 10.1097/JCN.0000000000000543

TABLE 2.

Factor Loading of Items on the Self-Care of Heart Failure Index v7.2

Self-Care Maintenance Scale Factor Loadings Factor Loadings (Simultaneous Analysis) Item Mean Skewness Kurtosis
Listed below are behaviors that people with heart failure use to help themselves. How often or routinely do you do the following?
 Consulting behaviors (7 items)
  1. Try to avoid getting sick (e.g., wash your hands) 0.357 0.386 4.55 −2.218 4.778
  2. Get some exercise (e.g., take a brisk walk, use the stairs) 0.228 0.276 3.27 −0.167 −1.112
  4. See your healthcare provider for routine healthcare 0.538 0.538 4.35 −1.641 1.715
  5. Take prescribed medicines without missing a dose 0.531 0.479 4.59 −2.325 5.689
  7. Make sure to get a flu shot annually 0.315 0.309 3.23 −0.251 −1.417
  9. Use a system or method to help you remember to take your medicines 0.488 0.447 2.88 0.105 −1.608
  10. Ask your healthcare provider about your medicines 0.556 0.590 4.08 −1.312 0.032
 Dietary behaviors (3 items)
  3. Eat a low salt diet 0.651 0.652 3.83 −0.799 −0.483
  6. Order low salt items when eating out 0.798 0.799 4.53 −2.389 4.252
  8. Ask for low salt foods when visiting family and friends 0.797 0.794 4.01 −1.201 −0.337
Symptom perception
 Monitoring behaviors (9 items)
 Listed below are changes that people with heart failure commonly monitor. How often do you do the following?
  11. Monitor your weight daily 0.541 0.559 3.53 −0.502 −1.180
  12. Pay attention to changes in how you feel 0.621 0.617 4.28 −1.335 1.280
  13. Look for medication side effects 0.672 0.666 3.72 −0.774 −0.816
  14. Notice whether you tire more than usual doing normal activities 0.555 0.546 4.21 −1.381 1.322
  15. Ask your healthcare provider how you’re doing 0.550 0.581 3.89 −0.978 −0.347
  16. Monitor closely for symptoms 0.836 0.821 3.96 −1.063 −0.009
  17. Check your ankles for swelling 0.552 0.540 4.13 −1.363 0.454
  18. Check for shortness of breath with activity such as bathing and dressing 0.586 0.573 4.23 −1.520 1.145
  19. Keep a record of symptoms 0.454 0.476 2.41 0.595 −1.214
 Symptom recognition (2 items)
 The last time you had symptoms.
  2. How quickly did you recognize that you had symptoms? 0.680 0.683 3.47 −0.788 −0.675
  21. How quickly did you know that the symptom was due to heart failure? 0.763 0.760 2.70 −0.175 −1.582
Self-care management
 Recommended behaviors (4 items)
 Listed below are behaviors that people with heart failure use to control their symptoms. When you have symptoms, how likely are you to use one of these?
  22. Further limit the salt you eat that day 0.621 0.632 3.81 −0.855 −0.656
  23. Reduce your fluid intake 0.711 0.701 3.32 −0.327 −1.293
  24. Take a medicine 0.389 0.366 4.03 −1.210 −0.060
  25. Call your healthcare provider for guidance Problem-solving behaviors (4 items) 0.514 0.528 3.72 −0.758 −0.877
  26. Ask a family member or friend for advice 0.295 0.255 3.09 −0.125 −1.571
  27. Try to figure out why you have symptoms 0.482 0.512 4.01 −1.074 0.268
  28. Limit your activity until you feel better 0.535 0.493 4.21 −1.361 1.112
  29. Think of a treatment you used the last time you had symptoms. Did the treatment you used make you feel better? 0.390 0.430 2.96 −0.384 −1.228

Results come from Mplus completely standardized solutions. All coefficients are statistically significant (P < .05 or less), except where noted.