Background: This study aimed to identify the conditioning factors that influence the self-care practice of heart transplant patient after discharge and relate the conditioning factors to the Engagement Profile of Self Care.
Methods:Cross-sectional study, undertaken at a transplantation unit of one public hospital, in Fortaleza-Ceará. There was the participation of 63 heart transplant patients.
Results:The majority of the patients were men (88.9%), aged 40-59 years (68.3%), catholic (81.0%), married (77.8%), elementary school (71, 4%), retired or not working (82.5%); income below minimum wage (47, 6%); diagnosis to transplantation was chagasic cardiomyopathy (28.6%), post-transplant time between one and three years (39.7%). The determinant for self-care had significant difference (p<0.05) was the time of transplantation, because patients who have higher scores on Engagement Profile Self-Care had performed transplantation between 3 and 5 years.
Conclusion:The professional team of heart transplant should consider the conditioning factors of patients transplanted cardiac in establishing strategies for promoting self-care.