Coping Strategies in Chronic Heart Failure Patients Aged 40 to 95 Years Old at Out-Patient Department of Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals

Abstract

Coping strategies are ways of adapting to a stressful situation in which one is unable to compensate or control. Ineffective use of coping strategies is associated with non-adherence which in turn fuel readmissions due to worsening symptoms of heart failure. This study sought to determine the coping strategies used in chronic heart failure patients aged 40 to 95 years at Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals. The research question was ‘what are the coping strategies used in chronic heart failure patients aged 40 to 95 years at Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals. The study utilized a simple, descriptive, quantitative design and 35 participants who met the inclusion criteria were determined through simple random sampling to determine their ways of coping. Descriptive statistics were used to analyse data. The outcome of the study revealed that the older adults living with chronic heart failure used more emotion-focused coping than problem focused coping strategies. Mental disengagement was the prevailing coping strategy acknowledged to being used by many, 88.58% of the study participants. Problem-focused coping is associated with adherence to treatment whereas emotion-focused coping may precipitate non-compliance.