Self-efficacy mediates the associations of social support and depression with treatment adherence in heart failure patients

Abstract

Background: Nonadherence to treatment recommendations is a leading preventable cause of rehospitalization and premature mortality in chronic heart failure (HF) patients. Purpose: This study examined whether self-efficacy mediates the contributions of social support and depression to treatment adherence. Methods: A sample of 252 HF outpatients with a mean age of 54 years completed self-report questionnaires assessing depression, perceived social support, self-efficacy, and treatment adherence. Results: Self-efficacy mediated the associations of social support and depression with treatment adherence after adjusting for demographic (age, gender, marital status, education, and ethnicity) and medical (New York Heart Association Classification and comorbidity) covariates. Conclusion: Self-efficacy explains the influence of social support and depression on treatment adherence and may be a key target for interventions to improve disease management and self-care behaviors in HF patients. © 2011 International Society of Behavioral Medicine.