Abstract: Objective To investigate the current situation of demoralization syndrome in the elderly patients with chronic heart failure (CHF) and to analyze the influencing factors. Methods Convenience sampling method was used to enroll the elderly patients with CHF admitted to Changhai Hospital from June 2022 to June 2023 in this study. The patients were surveyed using a general information questionnaire, Chinese version of the Demoralization Scale-Ⅱ, Heart Failure Somatic Perception Scale (HFSPS), Fear of Progression Questionnaire-Short Form (FoP-Q-SF), International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ) and Perceived Social Support Scale (PSSS). Multiple linear regression was used to analyze the influencing factors of demoralization syndrome. Results The score of Demoralization Scale-Ⅱ in 245 elderly patients with CHF was 16.55±4.76, which was at a medium level. Pearson correlation analysis showed that demoralization syndrome was positively correlated with body perception, fear of disease progression and sedentary behavior (r=0.475, 0.440, 0.499, respectively), and negatively correlated with social support (r=-0.491). Multiple linear regression analysis showed that per capita monthly household income, disease duration, physical perception, fear of disease progression, sedentary behavior, and social support were independent influencing factors (P<0.05) for demoralization syndrome in the elderly patients with CHF, and could jointly explain 45.9% of the variation in demoralization syndrome. Conclusions The level of demoralization syndrome in the elderly patients with CHF is at a medium level. Low income, long course of disease, strong physical perception, high fear of disease progression and sedentary lifestyle were risk factors for the demoralization syndrome of patients with CHF, while social support is a protective factor.

Key words: chronic heart failure, aged, demoralization syndrome, influencing factor