Effect of Daily Activity Record-Based Self-monitoring Intervention on the Perception of Physical Sensations in Patients With Chronic Heart Failure

BACKGROUND: To prevent rehospitalization for heart failure (HF), patients need to be able to perceive physical changes that occur at the onset of HF exacerbation and seek early help. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of a self-monitoring intervention on patients' perceptions of physical sensations during daily activities in the context of HF via a randomized controlled trial. METHODS: Participants (N = 70) were randomly assigned to the intervention (received daily activity record-based self-monitoring intervention support; group A) or control (only explained the measured results from the records; group B) group. Group A reflected on and described the physical sensations in their daily activities within 1 month after discharge. Outcome measures were assessed at 1 month after the intervention using the European Heart Failure Self-care Behavior Scale, Evaluation Scale for Self-Monitoring by patients with Heart Failure, clinical events, physical activity, and sleep. RESULTS: There was no significant difference in the change in the "asking for help" subscale score of the European Heart Failure Self-care Behavior Scale between the groups (+0.7 vs +0.4 points, P = .716). Group A had improved score on the self-monitoring subscale related to "concern about how movements affect body" from baseline (from 12.7 to 14.0 points, P = .026). There was no significant effect of self-monitoring intervention support on the first rehospitalization related to HF and all-cause death (log-rank χ 2 = 0.432, P = .511). A significant difference in moderate-intensity physical activity between the groups was observed (+4.6 vs -0.5 minutes, P = .029). CONCLUSIONS: A focused strategy that enables patients to perceive their physical sensations and promotes early help-seeking behavior is needed.