SCHFI English

Authored by

Barbara Riegel, PhD, RN, FAAN, FAHA

Professor

University of Pennsylvania, School of Nursing
Claire M. Fagin Hall, 418 Curie Boulevard
Philadelphia, PA 19104-4217
briegel@nursing.upenn.edu
215-898-9927 Phone
240-282-7707 eFax
Co-Director, International Center for Self-Care Research www.selfcareresearch.org

 

SELF-CARE OF HEART FAILURE INDEX

All answers are confidential.

 

Think about how you have been feeling in the last month or since we last spoke as you complete these items.

 

SECTION A:

Listed below are common instructions given to persons with heart failure. How routinely do you do the following?

 

 

Never or rarely

Sometimes

Frequently

Always or daily

1.      Weigh yourself?

1

2

3

4

2.      Check your ankles for swelling?

1

2

3

4

3.      Try to avoid getting sick (e.g., flu shot, avoid ill people)?

1

2

3

4

4.      Do some physical activity?

1

2

3

4

5.      Keep doctor or nurse appointments?

1

2

3

4

6.      Eat a low salt diet?

1

2

3

4

7.      Exercise for 30 minutes?

1

2

3

4

8.      Forget to take one of your medicines?

1

2

3

4

9.      Ask for low salt items when eating out or visiting others?

1

2

3

4

10. Use a system (pill box, reminders) to help you remember your medicines?

1

2

3

4

 

SECTION B:

Many patients have symptoms due to their heart failure. Trouble breathing and ankle swelling are common symptoms of heart failure.
 
In the past month, have you had trouble breathing or ankle swelling? Circle one.

0)      No

1)      Yes


 
11. If you had trouble breathing or ankle swelling in the past month…

(circle one number)

 

Have not had these

I did not recognize it

Not Quickly

Somewhat Quickly

Quickly

Very Quickly

How quickly did you recognize it as a symptom of heart failure?

N/A

0

1

2

3

4

 

 

Listed below are remedies that people with heart failure use. If you have trouble breathing or ankle swelling, how likely are you to try one of these remedies?

 

(circle one number for each remedy)

 

Not Likely

Somewhat Likely

Likely

Very Likely

12. Reduce the salt in your diet

1

2

3

4

13. Reduce your fluid intake

1

2

3

4

14. Take an extra water pill

1

2

3

4

15. Call your doctor or nurse for guidance

1

2

3

4

 

16. Think of a remedy you tried the last time you had trouble breathing or ankle swelling,

 

(circle one number)

 

I did not try anything

Not Sure

Somewhat Sure

Sure

Very Sure

How sure were you that the remedy helped or did not help?

0

1

2

3

4

 

 


SECTION C:

In general, how confident are you that you can:

 

Not Confident

Somewhat Confident

Very Confident

Extremely Confident

17. Keep yourself free of heart failure symptoms?

1

2

3

4

18. Follow the treatment advice you have been given?

1

2

3

4

19. Evaluate the importance of your symptoms?

1

2

3

4

20. Recognize changes in your health if they occur?

1

2

3

4

21. Do something that will relieve your symptoms?

1

2

3

4

22. Evaluate how well a remedy works?

1

2

3

4