Self‐care behaviours of patients with left ventricular assist devices in Israel: changes during the COVID‐19 pandemic

AIMS: Left ventricular assist devices (LVADs) support the hearts of patients with advanced heart failure. Following LVAD implantation, patients face a complex regimen of self‐care behaviours including self‐care maintenance, self‐care monitoring and self‐care management. However, during the COVID‐19 pandemic, symptoms of anxiety and depression may have interfered with their self‐care. Currently, little is known on how specific self‐care behaviours of LVAD‐implanted patients changed during the COVID‐19 pandemic. We aim to describe the changes in self‐care behaviours among patients with an implanted LVAD in Israel during the COVID‐19 pandemic and explore the factors related to self‐care behaviour change. METHODS: A prospective observational cross‐sectional study design. A convenience sample of 27 Israeli LVAD‐implanted patients (mean age 62.4 ± 9, 86% male, 78.6% living with a partner) completed the LVAD Self‐Care Behaviour Scale (1 = never to 5 = always) and Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (0 = not at all to 3 = most of the time). Data were collected before and after the onset of the COVID‐19 pandemic in Israel. Statistical analyses included paired t‐tests, Pearson's correlations, and one‐way repeated measures ANOVAs. RESULTS: During the COVID‐19 pandemic, a significant decrease was found in patients' adherence to checking and recording their LVAD speed, flow, power and PI (Pulsatility Index) (P = 0.05), checking their INR (P = 0.01), and daily weighing (P < 0.01). The prevalence of some behaviours (e.g. regularly exercising) increased in some patients and decreased in others. Patients living without a partner worsened their adherence to some of the self‐care behaviours (e.g. taking medicines as prescribed), compared with those living with a partner (M(b) = 5.0 ± 0 and M(d) = 5.0 ± 0, delta = 0 vs. M(b) = 5.0 ± 0 and M(d) = 4.6 ± 0.9, delta = −0.4, respectively; F = 4.9, P = 0.04). Women, and not men, tended to improve their adherence to the self‐care behaviour such as avoiding kinking, pulling, or moving the LVAD driveline at the exit site (M(b) = 4.0 ± 1.0 and M(d) = 5.0 ± 0, delta = 1.0 vs. M(b) = 4.5 ± 0.9 and M(d) = 4.4 ± 1.2, delta = −0.1, F = 4.7, P = 0.04, respectively). In total, 41% (11) patients reported neither anxiety nor depression, 11% (3) reported anxiety, 15% (4) reported depression, and 44% (12) reported both anxiety and depression. No associations between anxiety and/or depression and self‐care behaviours were found. CONCLUSIONS: Priorities in self‐care behaviours among patients with implanted LVAD changed after the onset of the COVID‐19 pandemic. Factors that assisted with adherence to self‐care behaviours included living with a partner and being female. The current results may guide further research on identifying behaviours that are at risk of not being maintained during a time of emergency.