Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Changes over 6-months in health-related quality of life in a matched sample of hispanics and non-hispanics with heart failure

  • Published:
Quality of Life Research Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Hispanics are a growing ethnic minority in the United States and one at significant risk for heart failure. Health-related quality of life (HRQL) is poor in individuals with heart failure, especially during and immediately following hospitalization. No prior research into the HRQL of Hispanics with heart failure was located. A sample of 80 individuals with heart failure, evenly divided by primary language and matched on functional status using the New York Heart Association classification system and age, was studied for 6 months following hospital discharge. Data on HRQL were collected using Spanish and English versions of the Minnesota Living with Heart Failure Questionnaire. Scores improved over time in both groups but significantly more so in the Hispanics when compared to the non-Hispanics. Group differences in HRQL could not be explained by demographics, clinical characteristics, treatment received, perceived support, or instrument response characteristics. Further exploration of this naturally occurring phenomenon may provide insight into how HRQL can be improved in the general heart failure population.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Ramirez R. The Hispanic Population in the United States: Population Characteristics. Washington, DC: US Census Bureau, 1999; p. 5.

    Google Scholar 

  2. States Ranked by Hispanic Population: US Census Bureau, 1999.

  3. Plepys C, Klein R. Health status indicators: Differentials by race and Hispanic origin. Healthy People 2000. Hyattsville, MD: Public Health Service, 1995.

    Google Scholar 

  4. Liao Y, Cooper R, Guichan C, Kaufman J, Long A, McGee D. Mortality from coronary heart disease and cardiovascular disease among adult US Hispanics: Findings from the National Health Interview Survey (1986-1994). J Am Coll Cardiol 1997; 30(5): 1200–1205.

    Google Scholar 

  5. American Heart Association. Hispanics and Cardiovascular Diseases: American Heart Association, 2001.

  6. American Heart Association. Heart and Stroke Facts: 2001 Statistical Update: American Heart Association, 2001.

  7. Aronow W, Ahn C, Kronzon I. Comparison of incidences of congestive heart failure in older African-Americans, Hispanics, and whites. Am J Cardiol 1999; 84(5): 611–612, A9.

    Google Scholar 

  8. Goff DC Jr, Pandey DK, Chan FA, Ortiz C, Nichaman MZ. Congestive heart failure in the United States: Is there more than meets the I(CD code)? The Corpus Christi Heart Project. Arch Int Med 2000; 160(2): 197–202.

    Google Scholar 

  9. Alexander M, Grumbach K, Remy L, Rowell R, Massie B. Congestive heart failure hospitalizations and survival in California: Patterns according to race/ethnicity. Am Heart J 1999; 137(5): 919–927.

    Google Scholar 

  10. Bennett S, Baker S, Huster G. Quality of life in women with heart failure. Health Care Women Int 1998; 19: 217–229.

    Google Scholar 

  11. Blyth FM, Lazarus R, Ross D, Price M, Cheuk G, Leeder SR. Burden and outcomes of hospitalisation for congestive heart failure (see comments). Med J Austr 1997; 167(2): 67–70.

    Google Scholar 

  12. Dracup K, Walden JA, Stevenson LW, Brecht ML. Quality of life in patients with advanced heart failure. J Heart Lung Transplant 1992; 11: 273–279.

    Google Scholar 

  13. Juarez G, Ferrell B, Borneman T. Cultural considerations in education for cancer pain management. J Cancer Edu 1999; 14(3): 168–173.

    Google Scholar 

  14. Spencer SM, Lehman JM, Wynings C, et al. Concerns about breast cancer and relations to psychosocial well-being in a multiethnic sample of early-stage patients. Health Psychol 1999; 18(2): 159–168.

    Google Scholar 

  15. Caldwell EM, Baxter J, Mitchell CM, Shetterly SM, Hamman RF. The association of non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus with perceived quality of life in a biethnic population: The San Luis Valley Diabetes Study. Am J Public Health 1998; 88(8): 1225–1229.

    Google Scholar 

  16. Moadel A, Morgan C, Fatone A, et al. Seeking meaning and hope: Self-reported spiritual and existential needs among an ethnically diverse cancer patient population. Psycho-Oncology 1999; 8(5): 378–385.

    Google Scholar 

  17. Wan GJ, Counte MA, Cella DF, et al. The impact of socio-cultural and clinical factors on health-related quality of life reports among Hispanic and African-American cancer patients. J Outcome Meas 1999; 3(3): 200–215.

    Google Scholar 

  18. Waite LJ, Hughes ME. At risk on the cusp of old age: Living arrangements and functional status among black, white and Hispanic adults. J Gerontol Ser B, Psychol Sci Soc Sci 1999; 54(3): S136–S144.

    Google Scholar 

  19. Apter AJ, Reisine ST, Affleck G, Barrows E, ZuWallack RL. The influence of demographic and socioeconomic factors on health-related quality of life in asthma. J All Clin Immunol 1999; 103(1 Pt 1): 72–78.

    Google Scholar 

  20. Hooyman N, Kiyak HA. Social Gerontology: Multidisciplinary Perspective. Boston: Allyn & Bacon, 1996.

    Google Scholar 

  21. Markides K, Rudkin L. Health Status of Hispanic Elderly in the United States. Galveston: University of Texas Medical Branch, 1995.

    Google Scholar 

  22. Villa VM, Torres-Gil FM. The health of elderly Latinos. In: Aguirre-Molina M, Molina CW, Zambrana R, (eds), Health Issues in the Latino Community. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass; 2001.

    Google Scholar 

  23. Riegel B, Carlson B, Kopp Z, LePetri B, Unger A, Glaser D. Effect of a standardized nurse case management telephone intervention on resource use in chronic heart failure patients. Arch Int Med 2002; 162(6): 705–712.

    Google Scholar 

  24. Konstam MA, Dracup K, Baker DW, et al. Heart failure: Evaluation and Care of Patients with Left-ventricular Systolic Dysfunction. Rockville, MD: Agency for Health Care Policy and Research, Public Health Services, US Department of Health and Human Services, 1994.

    Google Scholar 

  25. Anderson S, Auguier A, Hauck WW, Oakes D, Vandaele W, Weisberg H. Statistical Methods for Comparative Studies: Techniques for Bias Reduction. New York, NY: John Wiley & Sons; 1980.

    Google Scholar 

  26. Riegel B, Carlson B, Glaser D, Hoagland P. Which patients with heart failure respond best to multidisciplinary disease management? J Card Fail 2000; 6(4): 290–299.

    Google Scholar 

  27. Evangelista LS, Kagawa-Singer M, Dracup K. Gender differences in health perceptions and meaning in persons living with heart failure. Heart Lung 2001; 30(3): 167–176.

    Google Scholar 

  28. Kraemer HC, Thiemann S. How Many Subjects? Statitical Power Analysis in Research. Newbury Park: Sage, 1987.

    Google Scholar 

  29. Association. CEKftCCotNYH. Diseases of the Heart and Blood Vessels: Nomenclature and Criteria for Diagnosis. 6th ed. Boston: Little, Brown, 1964.

    Google Scholar 

  30. Katz JN, Chang LC, Sangha O, Fossel AH, Bates DW. Can comorbidity be measured by questionnaire rather than medical record review? Med Care 1996; 34(1): 73–84.

    Google Scholar 

  31. Rector T, Kubo S, Cohn J. Patient's self-assessment of their congestive heart failure. Part 2: content, reliability and validity of a new measure, The Minnesota Living with Heart Failure Questionnaire. Heart Failure 1987; October/November: 198–209.

  32. Measurement of functional ability. Measurement of functional inability and quality of life in cardiac failure. Transcultural adaptation and validation of the Goldman, Minnesota and Duke questionnaires. (French). Archives des Maladies du Coeur et des Vaisseaux 1997; 90(12): 1577–1585.

  33. Rector T, Cohn J. Assessment of patient outcome with the Minnesota Living with Heart Failure questionnaire: Reliability and validity during a randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled trial of pimobendan. Pimobendan Multicenter Research Group. Am Heart J 1992; 124: 1017–1025.

    Google Scholar 

  34. Smith LE, Fabbri SA, Pai R, Ferry D, Heywood JT. Symptomatic improvement and reduced hospitalization for patients attending a cardiomyopathy clinic. Clin Cardiol 1997; 20: 949–954.

    Google Scholar 

  35. Gras D, Mabo P, Tang T, et al. Multisite pacing as a supplemental treatment of congestive heart failure: Preliminary results of the Medtronic Inc. InSync Study. Pacing Clin Electrophysiol 1998; 21(11 Pt 2): 2249–2255.

    Google Scholar 

  36. Rector T, Tschumperlin L, Kubo S, et al. Use of the Living With Heart Failure questionnaire to ascertain patients' perspectives on improvement in quality of life versus risk of drug-induced death. J Card Fail 1995; 1(3): 201–206.

    Google Scholar 

  37. Exner DV, Schron EB. Impact of Pharmacologic Therapy on Health-Related Quality of Life in Heart Failure: Findings from Clinical Trials. In: Moser DK, Riegel B (eds), Improving Outcomes in Heart Failure: An Interdisciplinary Approach, Gaithersburg, MD: Aspen, 2001.

    Google Scholar 

  38. Moser D, Riegel B. Summary and the Future of Heart Failure Care. In: Moser D, Riegel B (eds), Improving Outcomes in Heart Failure: An Interdisciplinary Approach. Gaithersburg, MD: Aspen, 2001.

    Google Scholar 

  39. Hunt L, Arar N, Akana L. Herbs, prayer, and insulin. Use of medical and alternative treatments by a group of Mexican American diabetes patients. J Family Pract 2000; 49(3): 216–223.

    Google Scholar 

  40. Cushman LF, Wade C, Factor-Litvak P, Kronenberg F, Firester L. Use of complementary and alternative medicine among African-American and Hispanic women in New York City: A pilot study. J Am Med Womens Assoc 1999; 54(4): 193–195.

    Google Scholar 

  41. Paula Kd, Lagana' T, Gonzalez-Ramirez L. Mexican Americans. In: Lipson JG, Dibble SL, Minarik PA (eds), Culture and Nursing Care: A Pocket Guide. San Francisco: UCSF Nursing Press, 1996; 203–221.

    Google Scholar 

  42. Portillo C, Villarruel A, de Leon Siantz M, Peragallo N, Calvillo E, Eribes C. Research agenda for Hispanics in the United States: A nursing perspective. Nursing Outlook 2001; 49(6): 263–269.

    Google Scholar 

  43. Salokangas RK, Honkonen T, Stengard E, Koivisto AM. To be or not to be married-that is the question of quality of life in men with schizophrenia. Soc Psychiat Psychiatric Epidemiol 2001; 36(8): 381–390.

    Google Scholar 

  44. Blondel-Kucharski F, Chircop C, Marquis P, et al. Health-related quality of life in Crohn's disease: A prospective longitudinal study in 231 patients. Am J Gastroenterol 2001; 96(10): 2915–2920.

    Google Scholar 

  45. Glasgow RE, Ruggiero L, Eakin EG, Dryfoos J, Chobanian L. Quality of life and associated characteristics in a large national sample of adults with diabetes. Diabet Care 1997; 20(4): 562–567.

    Google Scholar 

  46. Jaarsma T, Halfens R, Abu-Saad HH, Dracup K, Stappers J, van Ree J. Quality of life in older patients with systolic and diastolic heart failure. Eur J Heart Fail 1999; 1(2): 151–160.

    Google Scholar 

  47. Stull DE, Starling R, Haas G, Young JB. Becoming a patient with heart failure. Heart Lung 1999; 28(4): 284–292.

    Google Scholar 

  48. Hayes RP, Baker DW. Methodological problems in comparing English-speaking and Spanish-speaking patients' satisfaction with interpersonal aspects of care. Med Care 1998; 36(2): 230–236.

    Google Scholar 

  49. Riskind JH, Williams NL, Gessner TL, Chrosniak LD, Cortina JM. The looming maladaptive style: Anxiety, danger, and schematic processing. J Person Soc Psychol 2000; 79(5): 837–852.

    Google Scholar 

  50. Bar-Tal Y, Spitzer A. The effect on coping of monitoring, blunting, and the ability to achieve cognitive structure. J Psychol 1999; 133(4): 395–412.

    Google Scholar 

  51. Wells A, Carter K. Preliminary tests of a cognitive model of generalized anxiety disorder. Behav Res Ther 1999; 37(6): 585–594.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Nursing, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA

    Barbara Riegel

  2. Sharp HealthCare, San Diego, USA

    Barbara Riegel & Beverly Carlson

  3. Pacific Science & Engineering, San Diego, USA

    Dale Glaser

  4. Sharp Chula Vista Medical Center, South Bay Cardiology Medical Group, Chula Vista, CA, USA

    Tomas Romero

Authors
  1. Barbara Riegel
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Beverly Carlson
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Dale Glaser
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Tomas Romero
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Riegel, B., Carlson, B., Glaser, D. et al. Changes over 6-months in health-related quality of life in a matched sample of hispanics and non-hispanics with heart failure. Qual Life Res 12, 689–698 (2003). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1025132623647

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1025132623647

Search

Navigation