The Relationship Between Patient Anxiety and Self-Care Ability in Heart Failure Patients at RSAU Dr. M. Salamun

The study purpose was heart failure is a major global health problem with high morbidity and mortality. Patients with heart failure often experience difficulties in performing self-care behaviors such as medication adherence, dietary management, and symptom monitoring. Psychological factors, particularly anxiety, may influence the ability of patients to manage their condition effectively. The purpose of this study was to determine and analyze the relationship between patient anxiety and self-care ability in heart failure patients at RSAU Dr. M. Salamun. Materials and methods. This study used a quantitative analytic design with a cross-sectional approach. The study population consisted of heart failure patients undergoing treatment at RSAU Dr. M. Salamun. Based on hospital records, the population in the last three months was 167 patients. The sample size was determined using the Slovin formula with a 10% margin of error, resulting in 63 respondents. Data were collected using questionnaires that measured anxiety levels and self-care ability. Data processing was conducted through editing, data entry, cleaning, and tabulating. Data analysis included univariate analysis to describe respondent characteristics and variable distribution, and bivariate analysis using the Chi-Square test to examine the relationship between anxiety and self-care ability. Results. The results showed that most respondents had poor self-care ability, accounting for 45 respondents (71.4%), while 18 respondents (28.6%) had good self-care ability. In addition, the majority of respondents experienced severe anxiety, totaling 38 respondents (60.3%), while 25 respondents (39.7%) experienced mild anxiety. The Chi-Square test showed a p-value of 0.000 (p < 0.05), indicating a statistically significant relationship between anxiety and self-care ability in heart failure patients. Conclusions. Anxiety has a significant relationship with self-care ability in heart failure patients. Higher levels of anxiety tend to be associated with lower self-care ability. These findings highlight the importance of psychological assessment and nursing interventions aimed at reducing anxiety to improve patient self-care and health outcomes.