Effects of illness representation‐focused patient education on illness representations and self‐care in patients with heart failure: A randomised clinical trial

Aims and objectives To examine the effect of an illness representation‐focused patient education intervention on illness representations and self‐care behaviours in patients with heart failure 3 months after discharge from the hospital. Background Few intervention studies have examined the effect of illness representation‐focused interventions on illness representations and self‐care in patients with heart failure. Design A randomised clinical trial based on the Consolidated Standard of Reporting Trials—CONSORT 2010—guidelines was employed. The Clinical Trial Registry number is TCTR20190903002. Methods One hundred and seven participants were randomly assigned to 2 groups, and 62 participants (n = 30 in the intervention group and n = 32 in the usual care group) completed the baseline and one‐ and three‐month postdischarge follow‐up assessments. The instruments included the Survey of Illness Beliefs in Heart Failure and the Self‐care of Heart Failure Index. The intervention group received illness representation‐focused patient education while hospitalised and telephone follow‐ups after discharge. Data were analysed with linear mixed‐effects model analysis. Results The 107 participants had a mean age of 62.17 years and a mean left ventricular ejection of 53.03%. At baseline, the two groups tended to have accurate illness beliefs but insufficient self‐care confidence and self‐care maintenance. The analysis showed no significant differences between groups in the illness representation total scores, dimension scores or self‐care maintenance scores but did show a significant difference in the self‐care confidence scores (F = 3.42, p