Self-Care among Thai People with Heart Failure

This grounded theory study aimed to explore self-care management among Thai people with heart failure. The participants were 35 Thais with heart failure. In-depth interviews were the method of data collection. Constant comparison and a coding process were the basic analysis methods.  The study findings shed light on “the process of self-care management to live with heart failure.” This process consisted of three phases, including: Phase 1 - Before becoming a person with heart failure; Phase 2 - Becoming a person with heart failure; and, Phase 3 - Living with heart failure. In Phase 1, the participants perceived they had an underlying disease, but lacked an awareness of the consequences of having the disease. Thus, they abandoned adhering to the medical treatment regimens when they no longer experienced symptoms. Moreover, they sought assistance both from complementary therapies and modern medical treatments. Finally, each accepted that s / he became a person with heart failure. In Phase 2, the participants adjusted their lifestyles so as to strictly follow the medical treatment regimens. They became dependent on others, which made their self-worth decrease. However, support from family and friends encouraged them to live with heart failure, and they then moved to Phase 3. In the last phase, the participants adjusted the medical treatment regimens to suit their lives and found out how they could reconstruct their self-worth. The findings offer a new insight into the process of self-care management among Thais with heart failure, which can be used as basic information to: (a) develop a specific intervention program for people with heart failure; and, (b) motivate patients to engage in effective self-care.