Using Atlanta Heart Failure Questionnaire in ambulatory heart failure patients with preserved ejection fraction HFPEF

OBJECTIVES: The present study uses the Atlanta Heart Failure Questionnaire as a tool to evaluate and design a tailored education material for ambulatory heart failure patients with preserved ejection fraction, highlighting the strengths and weakness toward the planning of education programs. METHODS: A total of 450 patients were screened; 112 patients were recruited, and 27-item was used to evaluate the usefulness of this questionnaire. All patients received education by a dedicated medical education about the nature of the disease, risk factors and management including prevention of complications. Descriptive statistics were used for assessing the sample characteristics. RESULTS: In the assessment of patient disease knowledge, in a 7-item questionnaire, the most well-understood item was correctly identified in 95% patients, whereas the least-understood item was identified in 1.8% of patients. In the assessment of patient management knowledge, in a 6-item questionnaire, the most well-understood item was correctly identified in 50% of patients and the least-understood item was identified in 10% of patients. In the assessment of patient medication intake knowledge, in a 3-item questionnaire, the most well-understood item was correctly identified in 97.3% of patients and the least-understood item was identified in 26.6% of patients. CONCLUSION: For a disease not fully understood, the study has concluded the usefulness of Atlanta Heart Failure Questionnaire for filling the gaps, setting a base line and follow-up in the process of educating ambulatory heart failure patients with preserved ejection fraction HFPF.