Quality of Life in Heart Failure Patients: The Effect of Anxiety and Depression (Patient–Caregiver) and Caregivers’ Quality of Life

Patients with heart failure (HF) and their caregivers are a dyad inextricably linked that exert influence on patients’ quality of life (QoL). Purpose: The aim of this study was to explore factors affecting HF patients’ QoL. Factors were: (a) HF patients’ characteristics, (b) anxiety/depression of th...

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Main Authors: Athanasia Tsami, Ioannis Koutelekos, Georgia Gerogianni, Georgios Vasilopoulos, Niki Pavlatou, Antonia Kalogianni, Theodore Kapadochos, Angleliki Stamou, Maria Polikandrioti
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-04-01
Series:Journal of Cardiovascular Development and Disease
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Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2308-3425/12/4/137
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author Athanasia Tsami
Ioannis Koutelekos
Georgia Gerogianni
Georgios Vasilopoulos
Niki Pavlatou
Antonia Kalogianni
Theodore Kapadochos
Angleliki Stamou
Maria Polikandrioti
author_facet Athanasia Tsami
Ioannis Koutelekos
Georgia Gerogianni
Georgios Vasilopoulos
Niki Pavlatou
Antonia Kalogianni
Theodore Kapadochos
Angleliki Stamou
Maria Polikandrioti
author_sort Athanasia Tsami
collection DOAJ
description Patients with heart failure (HF) and their caregivers are a dyad inextricably linked that exert influence on patients’ quality of life (QoL). Purpose: The aim of this study was to explore factors affecting HF patients’ QoL. Factors were: (a) HF patients’ characteristics, (b) anxiety/depression of the dyad (patient–caregiver) and (c) caregivers’ QoL. Material and Methods: In this cross-sectional study, we enrolled 340 patients and 340 caregivers. Data collection was performed by the method of an interview using “The Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale”, HADS) to assess anxiety and depression (patient–caregiver) as well as the “Minnesota Living with Heart Failure” and the “SF-36 Health Survey (SF-36)” to assess QoL (patient–caregiver, respectively). Results: From the 340 dyads who comprised the sample, 81.3% and 77.5% of patients experienced anxiety and depression, respectively, while 79.3% and 62.2% of caregivers experienced anxiety and depression, respectively. A statistically significant difference between patients and caregivers was only detected for depression (<i>p</i> = 0.001) and not for anxiety (<i>p</i> = 0.567). Patients with scores in HADS that indicate anxiety and depression had a worse QoL (total, physical, and mental). All subscales of the caregiver’s QoL were significantly associated with the patient’s QoL (<i>p</i> < 0.001) apart from the physical functioning scale. The correlation coefficients were all negative, indicating that a better caregiver’s QoL (higher SF36 scores) is associated with a better patient’s QoL (lower Minnesota scores). After controlling for the patient’s characteristics, the anxiety and depression of caregivers did not affect the patient’s QoL (confounding effect) whereas the patient’s anxiety/depression remained significant factors. Patients with anxiety and depression had 5.58 and 6.49 points, respectively, higher QoL score, meaning a worse QoL, compared to those with no anxiety/depression. Conclusions: Evaluating the impact of HF on patients’ QoL and anxiety/depression along with their caregivers permits acknowledgment of this dyadic relationship.
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spelling doaj-art-ae4e49a989954252a1bb23b0bececdc52025-08-20T03:13:58ZengMDPI AGJournal of Cardiovascular Development and Disease2308-34252025-04-0112413710.3390/jcdd12040137Quality of Life in Heart Failure Patients: The Effect of Anxiety and Depression (Patient–Caregiver) and Caregivers’ Quality of LifeAthanasia Tsami0Ioannis Koutelekos1Georgia Gerogianni2Georgios Vasilopoulos3Niki Pavlatou4Antonia Kalogianni5Theodore Kapadochos6Angleliki Stamou7Maria Polikandrioti8Department of Nursing, University of West Attica, 12243 Athens, GreeceDepartment of Nursing, University of West Attica, 12243 Athens, GreeceDepartment of Nursing, University of West Attica, 12243 Athens, GreeceDepartment of Nursing, University of West Attica, 12243 Athens, GreeceDepartment of Nursing, University of West Attica, 12243 Athens, GreeceDepartment of Nursing, University of West Attica, 12243 Athens, GreeceDepartment of Nursing, University of West Attica, 12243 Athens, GreeceDepartment of Nursing, University of West Attica, 12243 Athens, GreeceDepartment of Nursing, University of West Attica, 12243 Athens, GreecePatients with heart failure (HF) and their caregivers are a dyad inextricably linked that exert influence on patients’ quality of life (QoL). Purpose: The aim of this study was to explore factors affecting HF patients’ QoL. Factors were: (a) HF patients’ characteristics, (b) anxiety/depression of the dyad (patient–caregiver) and (c) caregivers’ QoL. Material and Methods: In this cross-sectional study, we enrolled 340 patients and 340 caregivers. Data collection was performed by the method of an interview using “The Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale”, HADS) to assess anxiety and depression (patient–caregiver) as well as the “Minnesota Living with Heart Failure” and the “SF-36 Health Survey (SF-36)” to assess QoL (patient–caregiver, respectively). Results: From the 340 dyads who comprised the sample, 81.3% and 77.5% of patients experienced anxiety and depression, respectively, while 79.3% and 62.2% of caregivers experienced anxiety and depression, respectively. A statistically significant difference between patients and caregivers was only detected for depression (<i>p</i> = 0.001) and not for anxiety (<i>p</i> = 0.567). Patients with scores in HADS that indicate anxiety and depression had a worse QoL (total, physical, and mental). All subscales of the caregiver’s QoL were significantly associated with the patient’s QoL (<i>p</i> < 0.001) apart from the physical functioning scale. The correlation coefficients were all negative, indicating that a better caregiver’s QoL (higher SF36 scores) is associated with a better patient’s QoL (lower Minnesota scores). After controlling for the patient’s characteristics, the anxiety and depression of caregivers did not affect the patient’s QoL (confounding effect) whereas the patient’s anxiety/depression remained significant factors. Patients with anxiety and depression had 5.58 and 6.49 points, respectively, higher QoL score, meaning a worse QoL, compared to those with no anxiety/depression. Conclusions: Evaluating the impact of HF on patients’ QoL and anxiety/depression along with their caregivers permits acknowledgment of this dyadic relationship.https://www.mdpi.com/2308-3425/12/4/137anxietydepressionquality of lifeHADsSF36Minnesota
spellingShingle Athanasia Tsami
Ioannis Koutelekos
Georgia Gerogianni
Georgios Vasilopoulos
Niki Pavlatou
Antonia Kalogianni
Theodore Kapadochos
Angleliki Stamou
Maria Polikandrioti
Quality of Life in Heart Failure Patients: The Effect of Anxiety and Depression (Patient–Caregiver) and Caregivers’ Quality of Life
Journal of Cardiovascular Development and Disease
anxiety
depression
quality of life
HADs
SF36
Minnesota
title Quality of Life in Heart Failure Patients: The Effect of Anxiety and Depression (Patient–Caregiver) and Caregivers’ Quality of Life
title_full Quality of Life in Heart Failure Patients: The Effect of Anxiety and Depression (Patient–Caregiver) and Caregivers’ Quality of Life
title_fullStr Quality of Life in Heart Failure Patients: The Effect of Anxiety and Depression (Patient–Caregiver) and Caregivers’ Quality of Life
title_full_unstemmed Quality of Life in Heart Failure Patients: The Effect of Anxiety and Depression (Patient–Caregiver) and Caregivers’ Quality of Life
title_short Quality of Life in Heart Failure Patients: The Effect of Anxiety and Depression (Patient–Caregiver) and Caregivers’ Quality of Life
title_sort quality of life in heart failure patients the effect of anxiety and depression patient caregiver and caregivers quality of life
topic anxiety
depression
quality of life
HADs
SF36
Minnesota
url https://www.mdpi.com/2308-3425/12/4/137
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