Evaluation of the Association between Family Social Support and Disease-related Concerns of Patients with Heart Failure Hospitalized in Public Hospitals in Birjand, Iran in 2018

Background & Aim: Heart failure is a major growing problem that affects patients, their families, and the social network. The higher the level of social support provided by families, the lower the risk of heart failure progression in individuals. This study aimed to determine the relationship between family social support and disease-related concerns of patients with heart failure. Materials & Methods: This descriptive-analytical study was performed on 150 patients selected by census method. A questionnaire containing information of demographic characteristics, family social support, and disease-related concerns of patients was applied to collect the data. In addition, data analysis was carried out in SPSS version 19 after collecting and coding the data. Results: The mean total score of family social support and disease-related concerns was 228.62±39.34 and 78.32±26.44, respectively. Data analysis showed that all aspects of family social support had a positive and significant relationship with the disease-related concern (P<0.05(. Moreover, the total score of the family social support had a positive and significant correlation with the total score of the disease-related concerns in patients. Conclusion: The results confirmed the role of family support in improvement of mental health of patients. Therefore, it is suggested that a family-centered and cooperative nursing intervention be designed to involve family members in the care process of patients with heart failure.