Self-care needs of patients with coronary heart disease in Islamabad, Pakistan: cohort study protocol

Introduction: Coronary heart disease (CHD) is a leading cause of mortality affecting millions of people worldwide. The prevalence and incidence of CHD are increasing due to traditional and emerging risk factors. Despite advancements in CHD management, improving patient outcomes remains a challenge. Self-care practices can improve patient outcomes. This paper summarises a longitudinal cohort protocol to investigate self-care needs, determinants and outcomes in patients with CHD. Methods and analysis: This study employed a prospective longitudinal cohort design and will be conducted in a tertiary care hospital in Islamabad during 1 May 2024 to 30 December 2024. A total of 354 patients with confirmed CHD will be enrolled. Data collection will occur at baseline and 3 months later, employing validated instruments to measure self-care, self-efficacy, anxiety, depression and comorbidities. This study will examine person-related factors (age, sex and education), problem-related factors (comorbidities, anxiety and depression) and environment-related factors (residence, religious engagement and resources). The outcomes are hospital readmissions, emergency department visits and unscheduled clinic visits. To estimate the self-care predictors on outcomes, the following data analysis will be conducted: descriptive statistics and logistic regression. Ethics and dissemination: The study was approved by the institutional review board and the ethics committee of Shifa International Hospital, Islamabad. Permission was obtained from the department head. Informed consent will be taken from patients. Participation in the study will be voluntary. The data will be collected anonymously. The results of this study will be disseminated through presentations at national and international conferences, peer-reviewed manuscripts and digital social media platforms.