Abstract
OBJECTIVES: Determine if family functioning influences response to family-focused interventions aimed at reducing dietary sodium by heart failure (HF) patients. BACKGROUND: Lowering dietary sodium by HF patients often occurs within the home and family context. METHODS: Secondary analysis of 117 dyads randomized to patient and family education (PFE), family partnership intervention (FPI) or usual care (UC). Dietary sodium measures were obtained from 3-day food record and 24-h urine samples. RESULTS: In the poor family functioning groups, FPI and PFE had lower mean urine sodium than UC (p < .05) at 4 months, and FPI remained lower than UC at 8 months (p < .05). For good family functioning groups, FPI and PFE had lower mean sodium levels by 3-day food record at 4 and 8 months compared to the UC group. CONCLUSION: Optimizing family-focused interventions into HF clinical care maybe indicated.