Identification of heart failure patients with highest anxiety level – simple self-invented one-question scale.

Aim
The aim of this work is to assess the influence of anxiety level, self-perceived disease severity, primary source of knowledge and selected socioeconomic factors on the degree of adherence to guidelines-based self-maintenance recommendations in patients with chronic heart failure.

Material and methods
202 patients from CHF outpatient clinic and hospitalized with CHF were assessed with 5-part questionnaire, self-invented scale assessing self-perceived disease severity and with Spielberger State Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI).

Results
Patients with highest anxiety levels (>40pts) were in more advanced stages of the disease, had lower level of education and perceived their disease as more severe than individuals with lower anxiety levels (<40pts). Primary source of knowledge was physician for majority of patients. Only 23% know and obeyed all self-maintenance recommendations. Self-perceived disease severity was the strongest determinant of anxiety level (p= 0,013; 1,041-1,418; HR=1,215). Anxiety level did not influence adherence to guidelines-based recommendations.

Conclusions
Perceived disease severity is strongly associated with anxiety level. Simple self-perceived disease severity scale can substitute for more complicated psychological tools. Physician, as the most important source of knowledge, has an immense role in educating patients on self-maintenance behaviour. Practice Implications: The use of simple, reproducible scale can significantly facilitate identification of patients with high anxiety level requiring therapeutic intervention.