Assessment of Therapeutic Patient Education Knowledge Levels in Heart Failure Patients Followed at Amirou Boubacar Diallo National Hospital in Niamey: A Study of 100 Cases

Background: Heart failure is a chronic, common, and serious condition responsible for repeated hospitalizations and impaired quality of life. Therapeutic patient education (TPE) has proven effective in reducing hospitalizations and improving quality of life but remains poorly implemented in our setting. Objective: To assess the level of therapeutic education knowledge among heart failure patients followed at Amirou Boubacar Diallo National Hospital in Niamey. Methods: Descriptive cross-sectional study conducted over three months (June 1 to August 30, 2020). Results: One hundred patients (mean age 56.4 years) were included: 62% men, 38% women. NYHA class distribution: 38% class I, 32% class II, 15% class IV. LVEF was reduced in 67%. Main etiologies were hypertensive heart disease (70.6%) and ischemic heart disease (25%). Regarding education: 73.3% had received information about their disease and understood it was chronic and required lifelong treatment; 66% were non-adherent to treatment; 69% followed a low-sodium diet; 60% performed physical activity according to their capacity; 86% had never received smoking-cessation counseling. Socioeconomic status and educational level significantly influenced treatment adherence (p = 0.04). Conclusion: Therapeutic patient education in heart failure reduces healthcare costs and improves quality of life. Its systematic implementation in our setting, in accordance with learned society recommendations, is urgently needed.