Background: Heart failure occurs when the heart is unable to pump sufficiently to maintain blood flow to meet the body's needs. Signs and symptoms commonly include shortness of breath, excessive tiredness, and leg swelling. The shortness of breath is usually worse with exercise, while lying down, and may wake the person at night. HF is considered an epidemic health problem, its incidence and prevalence have increased globally, and heart disease is one of the most leading causes of death.
The aim of study was to assess self care behavior of patients with heart failure. Descriptive design was utilized in this study. Subject and methods; The study was conducted in the internal medicine department and cardiac clinic at Assiut University Hospital. A convenience sample of 60 adult patients with congestive heart failure grade I, II, III from both male and female aged between (18-65) years old was included in this study. Tools were used for data collection; Tool (1) patient assessment sheet and Tool (2) Heart Failure Self-Care Behavior Scale. Results findings; regarding to patients' characteristics revealed that the patients aged between (41-60) yrs old were the majority, Regarding to patient’s knowledge, (60.66%) of patients had unsatisfactory level of knowledge. Conclusion; Based on findings of the present study, it can be concluded that, self-care has been shown as inappropriate; socio demographic characteristic had clearly effect on the knowledge of the patients; also the study concluded high percentage from patients had poor knowledge which affect patients self care behavior; results of this study could be useful for the development of nursing interventions that can promote/improve self-care in this population,. Recommendations: Concentrates should be on the health education for our society who had heart failure to improve self care behavior, constructing an educational program should be designed by nurses to increase people knowledge about causes, signs and symptom and treatment of heart failure.