The Influences of Kinesiophobia, Social Support, and Self-Care Behaviors on Quality of Life in Patients with Heart Failure

Purpose: The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of kinesiophobia, social support, and self-care behaviors on quality of life in the patients with heart failure. Methods: A total of 124 patients with heart failure were recruited from the cardiovascular center of a tertiary general hospital in Seoul. Data were collected from July to November 2025 using self-report questionnaires on kinesiophobia (Tampa Scale for Kinesiophobia-Heart), social support (Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support), self-care behaviors (Self-Care of Heart Failure Index version 7.2), and quality of life (Minnesota Living with Heart Failure Questionnaire). Data were analyzed using SPSS version 31.0.1.0, including descriptive statistics, the independent t-test, one-way analysis of variance, Pearson's correlation coefficients, and multiple regression analysis. Results: The factors affecting quality of life were exercise (β=.19, <i>p</i>=.020), New York Heart Association (NYHA) class II (β=.22, <i>p</i>=.007), NYHA class III-IV (β=.43, <i>p</i><.001), and symptom perception (β=.21, <i>p</i>=.020). The overall explanatory power was 40%. However, kinesiophobia, social support, self-care maintenance, and self-care management were not significant factors affecting quality of life. Conclusion: The results of this study showed that exercise, NYHA class, and symptom perception were factors affecting quality of life of patients with heart failure. To improve quality of life in these patients, it is necessary to develop a personalized program that takes disease severity, exercise capacity, and symptom perception into account.