Family Caregiver Contribution to Self-care of Heart Failure: An Application of the Information-Motivation-Behavioral Skills Model

Background: Adherence to self-care behaviors improves outcomes of patients with heart failure (HF). Caregivers play an important role in contributing to self-care. Objective: We aimed to explore the relationships among HF knowledge, perceived control, social support, and family caregiver contribution to self-care of HF, based on the Information-Motivation-Behavioral Skills Model. Methods: Two hundred forty-seven dyads of eligible patients with HF and family caregivers were recruited from a general hospital in China. Structural equation modeling was used to analyze the data obtained with the Caregiver Contribution to Self-care of Heart Failure Index, the Heart Failure Knowledge Test, the Control Attitudes Scale, and the Social Support Rating Scale. Results: In this model, caregiver contribution to self-care maintenance was positively affected by perceived control (β = .148, P = .015) and caregiver confidence in contribution to self-care (β = .293, P < .001). Caregiver contribution to self-care management was positively affected by HF knowledge (β = .270, P < .001), perceived control (β = .140, P = .007), social support (β = .123, P = .019), caregiver confidence in contribution to self-care (β = .328, P < .001), and caregiver contribution to self-care maintenance (β = .148, P = .006). Caregiver confidence in contribution to self-care was positively affected by HF knowledge (β = .334, P < .001). Conclusions: Heart failure knowledge, perceived control, and social support facilitated family caregiver contribution to self-care of HF. Targeted interventions that consider these variables may effectively improve family caregiver contributions to self-care.