Exploring the Concept of Health-Related Quality of Life Among People with Heart Failure in Karachi, Pakistan

Abstract

Objective: This study aimed to explore and understand the in-depth meaning of HRQoL among HF patients in a
tertiary care hospital, Aga Khan University Hospital, Karachi, Pakistan. By conducting in-depth interviews and
engaging with the patients, this research aimed to uncover the shades of their daily struggles, aspirations, and
adaptations.
Methodolgy: A qualitative interpretive design was used to study heart failure patients’ perceptions of their HRQoL. Through the Purposive sampling technique, 14 Heart Failure patients were selected from the outpatient department of AKUH. In-depth semi-structured interviews were conducted until meaningful information was achieved. A manual content analysis technique followed to analyze the data.

Results: The study's findings revealed two major themes. Theme one, "Heart Failure Patients' Perception about
Health," highlighted participants valuing good health, the role of good health for maintenance, and the prioritization of well-being. Participants underscored the significance of health as a precious asset, emphasizing how HF had transformed their perception of good health and motivated them to take active measures to maintain it. The second theme identified, "Attributes of HRQoL in Heart Failure," participants described how HF had redefined their roles: It required dietary adaptation, intervened in their social and family relations, and took them on a path toward acceptance. This is the theme that showed the variation of impact of HF in changing the daily responsibilities by meeting their dietary restrictions and social and family changes that came into their lives.

Conclusion: This study highlights the perceptions and experiences of HRQoL among HF patients in Karachi. If
a better quality of life in relation to health is to be promoted in Pakistan among heart failure patients, the findings bring out the need to address the physical, emotional, social, and cognitive constituents of HRQoL. Such information can help to enrich person-centered care and therapies, enhancing the quality of life for patients suffering from heart failure in Pakistan.