Self‐care status in patients with heart failure: Systematic review and meta‐analysis

AIM: To systematically review the status of self‐care in patients with heart failure through the Self‐Care of Heart Failure Index scale. DESIGN: A systematic review and meta‐analysis. METHODS: Following national and international databases were searched to retrieve eligible studies: PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, Google Scholar, Scientific Information Database and Magiran. The studies were screened and selected by two researchers. Data analysed through the random‐effects model, and the I (2) index was used to assess heterogeneity. Stata software version 12.0 was used for analysis. The PRISMA statement was used to report systematic review and meta‐analysis. RESULTS: Of the 5,953 articles initially identified, 39 studies were included. The average score was estimated at 58.16 (CI: 54.39–61.94) for self‐care maintenance, 53.11 (CI: 49.17–57.05) for self‐care management and 58.66 (CI: 54.32–63.00) for self‐care confidence. Despite the high heterogeneity of the studies, the results indicated that self‐care practice is inadequate in all the three dimensions of self‐care (maintenance, management and confidence).