Self-management of type D and non-type D personality in elderly patients with chronic heart failure: A longitudinal survey

OBJECTIVE: To explore differences in self-management between elderly patients with chronic heart failure (CHF) who have Type D personality and those with non-Type D personality. METHODS: From December 2021 to December 2022, 213 elderly CHF inpatients were enrolled via convenience sampling from the cardiology ward of a tertiary hospital in Yinchuan, Ningxia. Self-management was assessed during hospitalization and at 1, 3, 6, and 12 months post-discharge. Data were analyzed using the Mann-Whitney U test. RESULTS: A total of 173 patients completed the follow-up. During hospitalization, significant differences in self-management were observed between the two groups: Type D personality patients had significantly lower scores in psychological and social adaptation management and symptom management than non-Type D personality patients (all P < .05), with no significant differences in medication or diet management (P > .05). At 1, 3, 6, and 12 months post-discharge, Type D personality patients exhibited significantly poorer self-management across all four dimensions (medication, diet, psychological and social adaptation, and symptom management) compared with non-Type D personality patients (all P < .05). CONCLUSION: Elderly patients with CHF with Type D and non-Type D personalities exhibit significant differences in self-management, with differences emerging during hospitalization (confined to psychological and social adaptation management and symptom management) and persisting for 1 year post-discharge. Notably, the disadvantage of Type D personality extends to all four self-management dimensions (medication, diet, psychological and social adaptation, and symptom management) after discharge, highlighting it as a stable risk factor for inadequate long-term self-management in this population.