Functional Capacity as a Correlate of Health‐Related Quality of Life in Patients With Heart Failure: A Cross‐Sectional Study

ABSTRACT This study aimed to analyze the associations among functional capacity, self‐care, and health‐related quality of life in patients with heart failure (HF). A cross‐sectional correlational study was conducted. Functional capacity was measured with the Duke Activity Status Index, self‐care with the European Heart Failure Self‐Care Behaviour Scale, and health‐related quality of life with the Minnesota Living with Heart Failure Questionnaire. Data were analyzed using Spearman's correlation and simple linear regression analyses. Ninety‐six patients with HF participated. The median functional capacity was 18.90 (IQR: 9.95–32.30), the mean self‐care score was 29.60 (SD = 5.68), and the median quality of life was 51.50 (IQR: 40.00–66.00). Functional capacity was strongly and inversely correlated with health‐related quality of life ( ρ = −0.700, p < 0.001) and accounted for 40.0% of the variance in health‐related quality of life scores. In this sample of outpatients with HF, better functional capacity was associated with better health‐related quality of life.