Burden Of Treatment And Psychological Distress In Heart Failure In Jordan From Patients' Perspectives

Abstract

Background: Psychological distress has become an alarming phenomenon in patients with heart failure worldwide. The burden of treatment is associated with psychological distress in patients with heart failure. There is a crucial need for conducting qualitative research addressing the unique contextual factors associated with the burden of treatment and psychological distress in patients with heart failure in Jordan.

Objective: This study aims to gain a deeper understanding of patients’ burden of treatment and psychological distress among Jordanian patients with heart failure.                                                                                                    

Design and method: A qualitative descriptive design was used. Data were collected through in-depth, semi-structured interviews with 28 patients with heart failure.                                                                                               

Findings: The main theme of our findings can be expressed as “Facing Healthcare Challenges” which includes five subthemes from analyses of interviews: Looking for the humanistic touch, long waiting time, insufficient health care resources, insufficient health information, and a call for specialist psychological health support to understand their suffering.                                                                        Conclusion: This study highlighted that healthcare challenges as a burden of treatment might trigger psychological distress in patients with heart failure. This study has provided insight into the need for interventions to improve the structural organization of hospitals and healthcare system provision to mitigate psychological distress in these patients.