What is the clinical evidence from this study?

Study design: Cross-Sectional. Population: Heart failure (n=124). Intervention: Kinesiophobia, social support, and self-care behaviors. Primary outcome: Factors affecting quality of life (Minnesota Living with Heart Failure Questionnaire score) (β=0.43 (for NYHA class III-IV), p=<0.001).

June 3, 2026Open Access

The Influences of Kinesiophobia, Social Support, and Self-Care Behaviors on Quality of Life in Patients with Heart Failure

Q: What are the key findings of this study?

Exercise, NYHA class, and symptom perception were significant factors affecting quality of life in patients with heart failure, with NYHA class III-IV having the greatest impact (β=0.43, p<0.001).

Q: What question did this study set out to answer?

To investigate the effects of kinesiophobia, social support, and self-care behaviors on quality of life in patients with heart failure.

Key Result

Exercise, NYHA class, and symptom perception were significant factors affecting quality of life in patients with heart failure, with NYHA class III-IV having the greatest impact (β=0.43, p<0.001).

Key Points

To investigate the effects of kinesiophobia, social support, and self-care behaviors on quality of life in patients with heart failure.
124 patients with heart failure recruited from a tertiary general hospital in Seoul.
Utilized self-report questionnaires to measure kinesiophobia, social support, self-care behaviors, and quality of life.
Data analyzed with SPSS, employing descriptive statistics, independent t-tests, ANOVA, correlation coefficients, and multiple regression.
Factors affecting quality of life included exercise (β=.19, p=.020), NYHA class II (β=.22, p=.007), NYHA class III-IV (β=.43, p<.001), and symptom perception (β=.21, p=.020).
Overall explanatory power for predictors was 40%.
Kinesiophobia, social support, and self-care behaviors did not significantly affect quality of life.

Study Design

Type

Cross-Sectional (n=124)

Multicenter

Structured PICO

Population

124 adult outpatients with heart failure, predominantly male with a mean age of 60 years, assessed for factors affecting quality of life.

Outcome

Quality of life measured by the Minnesota Living with Heart Failure Questionnairepatient reported

Exercise, NYHA class, and symptom perception, but not kinesiophobia or social support, are significant factors affecting quality of life in heart failure patients.

Main Result

Effect estimate: β=0.43 (for NYHA class III-IV)

p-value: p=<0.001

Limitations

Single-center study with convenience sampling.
Majority of patients (96%) were NYHA class I or II, limiting generalizability to more severe cases.
Small sample size for NYHA class III-IV.

Abstract

Purpose: The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of kinesiophobia, social support, and self-care behaviors on quality of life in the patients with heart failure. Methods: A total of 124 patients with heart failure were recruited from the cardiovascular center of a tertiary general hospital in Seoul. Data were collected from July to November 2025 using self-report questionnaires on kinesiophobia (Tampa Scale for Kinesiophobia-Heart), social support (Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support), self-care behaviors (Self-Care of Heart Failure Index version 7.2), and quality of life (Minnesota Living with Heart Failure Questionnaire). Data were analyzed using SPSS version 31.0.1.0, including descriptive statistics, the independent t-test, one-way analysis of variance, Pearson's correlation coefficients, and multiple regression analysis. Results: The factors affecting quality of life were exercise (β=.19, p=.020), New York Heart Association (NYHA) class II (β=.22, p=.007), NYHA class III-IV (β=.43, pp=.020). The overall explanatory power was 40%. However, kinesiophobia, social support, self-care maintenance, and self-care management were not significant factors affecting quality of life. Conclusion: The results of this study showed that exercise, NYHA class, and symptom perception were factors affecting quality of life of patients with heart failure. To improve quality of life in these patients, it is necessary to develop a personalized program that takes disease severity, exercise capacity, and symptom perception into account.

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