Patient’s Self-Reported Functional Status and Health-Related Quality of Life: Prognostic Association to 30-day Hospital Readmissions Among Heart Failure Patients

Written by Lydia Albuquerque, Daria Napierkowski, Kem Louie, Pallavi Solanki, Emily H. Mahon, & Lois Greene

doi: https://doi.org/10.13178/jnparr.2019.09.02.0904

Abstract

Background: Research is limited regarding the association of 30-day hospital readmissions to the use of self-reporting tools among Heart Failure (HF) patients.

Objective: To examine the relationship between self-reported tools and 30-day hospital readmissions among patients diagnosed with HF.

Methods: A quantitative, descriptive correlational research design (n = 66) was used to examine the correlation between the variables, functional status, and quality of life to 30-day hospital readmission rates among patients with HF.

Results: The relationship between NYHA functional status classification and 30-day readmission was significant based on chi-square analysis (p = 0.044). An independent sample t-test done to test for relationship between health quality of life and readmission was also significant (p < 0.05). A one-way ANOVA was calculated comparing the demographic variable to 30-day readmission rates revealed a significant difference between monthly
income and readmission (F = 2.864, p < 0.05) and the number of times patients were admitted in the hospital in the past year to readmissions (F = 3.333, p < 0.01). These findings support the hypothesis that NYHA functional status classification and health related quality of life is associated with hospital readmissions.

Conclusions: The results of this study provide healthcare providers information about the association of self-reported tools with 30-day readmissions among heart failure patients.

Keywords: heart failure, readmission, quality of life, functional status