Heart Disease Management in Older Adults: The California Health Interview Survey

Background: Heart disease is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality among non-Latino caucasians in the U.S. Perceived self-confidence of disease management in people with heart disease is essential for improved health outcomes. Health care providers play a pivotal role in assisting people with heart disease in order to implement and follow treatment plans.

Purpose: The purposes of this study are first to assess disease self-care confidence for non-Latino caucasions with heart disease, and second to assess the prevalence of healthcare providers who develop heart disease self-management plan with their patients, using a population-based study in California.

Methods: In this descriptive study, non-Latino caucasian adults (n=3,965,000) age 60-85 with a diagnosis of heart disease were drawn from the 2011-2012 the California Health Interview Survey, a population-based, cross-sectional random-digit dial telephone survey. Descriptive statistics were used to analyze the data.

Results:  About 59% responded very confidently with heart disease self-management, 34% somewhat confidently and 7% not confidently at all. Approximately 79% of patients with heart disease reported their health care providers worked with them to develop heart disease self-management plan, however, only 30% of them had a written or printed copy of the plan.

Discussion: Although relatively high numbers of health care providers worked with their patients to develop heart disease self-management plan, not all of them implemented that plan. Considering the importance of the patient’s self-confidence of disease self-management and health outcomes, more studies are needed to improve perceived confidence.