Qualitative Health Research, Ahead of Print.
Heart failure is a severe and terminal stage of various heart diseases characterized by complex clinical syndromes. With regard to the management of HF, the patient’s family is the most common and essential resource. The manner in which the family copes with the disease can lead to effective or ineffective management. It is necessary to explore how families of patients with heart failure as a whole are coping with the disease. Our qualitative descriptive study involved 18 families of patients with HF, including 18 patients and 13 family members. Based on the trichotomy of coping strategies proposed by Weiten, the text of the interviews was analyzed via content analysis. Four categories emerged from the data: (1) problem-oriented coping, (2) appraisal-oriented coping, (3) emotion-oriented coping, and (4) family dynamic–oriented coping. Nine subcategories were extracted: fighting the disease during an episode; managing the disease in daily life; embarking on a journey for support; understanding the disease in a diverse way; accepting the disease or not, optimistic; worried and powerlessness; alternating role responsibilities; and adjusting family interactions. The identification of the predominant category of ‘family dynamic–oriented coping’ in our study has significant implications for health care professionals. By recognizing and addressing the unique dynamics of family interactions and coping mechanisms, health care providers can develop targeted strategies to improve overall outcomes for both patients and their families impacted by HF.