Self-care behavior, hope, and social support in Taiwanese patients awaiting heart transplantation

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to examine the self-care behavior, hope, and social support in patients awaiting heart transplantation and to explore all the correlative and related factors.

METHODS: In total, 45 participants who met the selection criteria were selected by purposive sampling from four medical centers in Taiwan. The three instruments Self-Care Behavior Scale, Herth Hope Index (HHI), and Social Support Inventory were used for data collection.

RESULTS: Significant, positive correlations among self-care behavior, hope, and social support were observed. Social support was the best predictive factor for both self-care behavior and hope.

CONCLUSION: The outcomes of this study can help medical care personnel better understand the self-care behavior, hope, and social support in patients awaiting heart transplantation and can also serve as a reference when developing relevant interventions for these patients.