Cardiovascular disease, self-care and emotional regulation processes in adult patients: balancing unmet needs and quality of life

Abstract

Background

Cardiovascular disease is a chronic non-communicable illness that causes more than half of all deaths across Europe. Unhealthy lifestyle, inadequate adherence to medical prescriptions, themselves associated with psycho-emotional disorders are considered risk factors for reduced quality of life as well physical condition.

Objective

Aim of our study was to understand predictive factors for disease management by evaluating psychological aspects, self-care processes and emotional regilati0on in CVD outpatients.

Methods

An observational study was conducted. Sixty-one patients, age 18–75 years (M 56.4 ± sd 12.0), diagnosed with CVD participated in the study. The psychological battery was administered during clinical follow-up oriented to detect emotional and psychological dimensions as well adaptive behavioral and quality of life by standardized questionnaire/scales.

Results

Finding showed that emotional dysregulation might influence QoL, particularly significant effect of awareness (β= 0.022; SE = 1.826; p < 0.002), goals (β = - 0.54; SE = 1.48; p < 0.001) and clarity (β = - 0.211; SE = 2.087; p < 0.003). The results also suggest that the mediated effect accounted for awareness index was 18.7% (R² = 0.187) of the variance; goals index 62.8% (R² = 0.628) of the variance and, then significant mediated effect of clarity was 58.8% (R² = 0.588) of the variance. This evidence suggests that the relationship between triggers and QoL is mediated by emotional dysregulation indexes.

Conclusion

In clinical practice psychological screening can be an effective tool for detecting predictive factors in the management of the CVD patient's health and adherence to medical treatment: the screening of predictive psychological factors for allowing a good clinical condition management and a self-care empowerment aimed at increasing psychological well-being and the Quality of Life by planning adequate integrated and multidisciplinary support.