# Austrian Heart Association and WHO Self-Care Guidelines. A qualitative study

## TL;DR

This study explores how heart patients can benefit from self-care practices and highlights the need for better integration into health systems.

## Contribution

The study identifies specific characteristics and needs of cardiac self-care and emphasizes the importance of aligning these with WHO guidelines.

## Key findings

- Qualitative analysis revealed benefits like social inclusion and health sports in cardiac self-care.
- There is a need for more transparent individualized approaches to cardiorespiratory conditions.
- Health policymakers are urged to support cardiac self-care integration into national systems.

## Abstract

Background and Aim: In its 2022 revision of self-care guidelines, the World Health Organization underlines the irreplaceable function of high-quality self-care and emphasises that not only research into self-care, but also the development of self-care-specific research methods have to be intensified. Accordingly, improvement of translational cardiological self-care is a key challenge faced by the Austrian Heart Association (Österreichischer Herzverband = ÖHV), which has been dedicated to life-long/long-term rehabilitation and health promotion of heart patients for more than 40 years. In line with the WHO call for self-care specific research, a study to identify related characteristics and desiderates was carried out with 30 regional managers at the ÖHV federal state conference [ÖHV Bundesländertagung] in 2023.

Methods: Through Mayring’s method of qualitative content analysis, raw data were regrouped into categories and frequencies/weights identified.

Results: Well-known benefits such as social inclusion, empathetic communication, mutual support, health sports and information were distinguished in a future-oriented manner, e.g., with regard to expansion of sports disciplines alongside more transparent adjustment to individual cardiorespiratory conditions.

Conclusion: Health policymakers are called to recognise the benefits of cardiac self-care and –  according to WHO suggestions – improve its integration within national health systems, standardised financial support included.