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Self-care management in patients with heart failure in Nakhon Si Thammarat Province, Thailand: a descriptive qualitative study
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  • Published: 16 March 2026

Self-care management in patients with heart failure in Nakhon Si Thammarat Province, Thailand: a descriptive qualitative study

  • Suppakarn Opasrattanakon1,
  • Urai Jaraeprapal1 &
  • Chuchard Punsawad2 

Scientific Reports , Article number:  (2026) Cite this article

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We are providing an unedited version of this manuscript to give early access to its findings. Before final publication, the manuscript will undergo further editing. Please note there may be errors present which affect the content, and all legal disclaimers apply.

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  • Health care
  • Medical humanities

Abstract

Heart failure remains a major global health burden, characterized by high mortality, frequent hospital readmissions, and poor quality of life. These outcomes are closely linked to inadequate self-care behaviors, limited patient knowledge, and insufficient ongoing support. This study aimed to describe self-care behaviors, self-awareness of severe symptoms requiring hospitalization, and symptom management strategies among patients with heart failure, and to provide evidence-based recommendations to inform improved care delivery. A descriptive qualitative study was conducted using individual in-depth interviews with 19 adults living with heart failure in community settings in Nakhon Si Thammarat Province, Thailand. Data were analyzed using content analysis to identify recurring patterns and themes related to self-care experiences. Three key themes were identified. (1) Self-care behaviors shaped patients’ lifestyles, with family caregiving influencing engagement in daily activities, medication adherence, and integrated self-care practices that supported physical and emotional well-being, knowledge-seeking, and healthcare support. (2) Self-awareness of severe symptoms requiring hospitalization, developed through continuous self-monitoring, was central to living with heart failure. Patients relied on physical sensations to guide symptom management, while engagement in daily activities reflected varying levels of self-care capacity or reliance on healthcare professionals. (3) Early self-management of symptoms supported timely rest, effective swelling control, and adherence to professional advice, contributing to reduced hospital readmission and mortality. Effective heart failure management requires individualized self-care approaches that are responsive to patients’ personal and cultural contexts. Enhanced self-awareness of symptoms such as orthopnea and weight gain enables timely self-management actions, including activity pacing, limb elevation, and medication adjustment. Furthermore, digital health tools and home-monitoring devices play an increasingly important role in supporting patient education, symptom tracking, and sustained self-care in heart failure.

Data availability

The interview data are not publicly available due to ethical and privacy restrictions. They contain sensitive information, but the datasets can be requested from the first or corresponding author with proper justification.

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Acknowledgements

The authors wish to thank all contributors and Editage for the editor’s contribution to this research through the English language support.

Funding

This research study was funded by the College of Graduate Studies, Walailak University. Additionally, the university will cover publication fees if the article is accepted for publication.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Nursing, Walailak University, Nakhon Si Thammarat, Thailand

    Suppakarn Opasrattanakon & Urai Jaraeprapal

  2. School of Medicine, Walailak University, Nakhon Si Thammarat, Thailand

    Chuchard Punsawad

Authors
  1. Suppakarn Opasrattanakon
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  2. Urai Jaraeprapal
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  3. Chuchard Punsawad
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Contributions

S.O., U.J., and C.P.: Conceptualization, Data Curation, Formal Analysis, Investigation, Methodology, Resources, Software, Supervision, Validation, Writing — Original Draft, Writing — Reviewing and Editing, Final Approval for Submission.S.O. and U.J.: Project Administration.S.O.: Funding AcquisitionU.J.: Coordination with work, sending the original, and post-publication management.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Urai Jaraeprapal.

Ethics declarations

Competing interests

The authors declare no competing interests.

Ethics approval and consent to participate

This study adhered to the World Medical Association’s ethical standards (Declaration of Helsinki) and received approval from Walailak University’s Ethics Committee (WU-24-041-01). Participants were fully informed about the objectives, methods, and data collection, provided informed consent, and were free to withdraw without consequences.

Consent for publication

Interview quotes were included without identifying participants, and coding was used in the report to ensure confidentiality and protect privacy.

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Opasrattanakon, S., Jaraeprapal, U. & Punsawad, C. Self-care management in patients with heart failure in Nakhon Si Thammarat Province, Thailand: a descriptive qualitative study. Sci Rep (2026). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-026-44071-w

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  • Received: 12 December 2025

  • Accepted: 09 March 2026

  • Published: 16 March 2026

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-026-44071-w

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Keywords

  • Community health nursing
  • Patients with heart failure
  • Qualitative study
  • Self-care behaviors
  • Self-awareness
  • Self-care management
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