A study of dietary sodium restriction compliance in the elderly with heart failure

Thirst distress (TD) is a psychometric consequence of diet therapy and dietary sodium restriction (DSR) in elderly patients with heart failure (HF) and is one of the main reasons for admission of the elderly to hospitals and clinical centers. The aim of the present study was to determine the level of DSR and TD in the elderly with HF.

In this descriptive study, 70 elderly patients admitted to hospitals affiliated with Babol University of Medical Sciences (Iran) were randomly selected. The Thirst Distress Scale in HF patients (TDS-HF) and Dietary Sodium Restriction Questionnaire (DSRQ) were used for data collection. The data were analyzed in SPSS 26 using descriptive statistics.

The mean and standard deviation age of the participants was 69.38±8.32 years. The mean score of TDS and DSR in the elderly with HF was 30.47 ± 5.57, and 60.61 ± 8.7, respectively, indicating TD. There was a significant negative relationship between the duration of the disease and the score of DSR, and the place of residence with the score of TD.

Based on the results, representing TD in the elderly with HF, it is recommended that educational interventions appropriate to age should be used to reduce the psychometric consequences of diet therapy such as TD and to change attitudes towards adherence to DSR in the elderly with HF.