Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39957543›Full record

ArticleJournal of advanced nursing2026

Gender Differences in Disease Burden, Symptom Burden, and Quality of Life Among People Living With Heart Failure and Multimorbidity: Cross-Sectional Study.

Arum Lim, Chitchanok Benjasirisan, Jordan Tebay, Xiaoyue Liu, Sarah Badawi, Cheryl Dennison Himmelfarb, Patricia M Davidson, Binu Koirala

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Journal of advanced nursing, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 5 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
5citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

5 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. Article
  3. Prevalence, Risk Factors, and Multimorbidity Patterns in Climacteric Women with Hypertension.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2025
    Article
  4. Article
  5. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

8 authors.

Arum LimJohns Hopkins School of Nursing, Baltimore, Maryland, USA.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5220-5249
Chitchanok BenjasirisanJohns Hopkins School of Nursing, Baltimore, Maryland, USA.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6465-0721
Jordan TebayJohns Hopkins School of Nursing, Baltimore, Maryland, USA.ORCID https://orcid.org/0009-0001-5783-380X
Xiaoyue LiuUniversity of New York Rory Meyers College of Nursing, New York, New York, USA.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2808-6339
Sarah BadawiJohns Hopkins School of Nursing, Baltimore, Maryland, USA.ORCID https://orcid.org/0009-0004-2426-8180
Cheryl Dennison HimmelfarbJohns Hopkins School of Nursing, Baltimore, Maryland, USA.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1918-4316
Patricia M DavidsonUniversity of Wollongong, Wollongong, New South Wales, Australia.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2050-1534
Binu KoiralaJohns Hopkins School of Nursing, Baltimore, Maryland, USA.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7771-8422

Funding

The Johns Hopkins Clinical Research Scholars in Women's Health (BIRCWH)K12HD085845 · NICHD · JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY · PI FORD, DANIEL ERNEST · 2015 to 2023
$4.5M
Hopkins Center to Promote resilience in persons and families living with multiple chronic conditions (the PROMOTE Center)P30NR018093 · NINR · JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY · PI DENNISON HIMMELFARB, CHERYL · 2018 to 2022
$3.1M
NICHD NIH HHS K12 HD085845NINR NIH HHS P30 NR018093NINR NIH HHS P30/NR18093Office of Research on Women's Health K12HD085845School of Nursing, Johns Hopkins University
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

aimHeart failure is a leading cause of hospitalisation and often coexists with seven comorbid conditions on average. This study aimed to examine the gender differences in disease burden, symptom burden, and quality of life among older adults with heart failure and multimorbidity.

designCross-sectional study.

methodsThis study utilised a baseline survey from an ongoing cohort study in 2022-2023. Adults aged ≥ 50 years with heart failure and more than one chronic condition were recruited from a university-affiliated hospital using an electronic patient portal. Disease burden was measured using a modified Disease Burden Impact Scale. The Edmonton Symptom Assessment Scale and EuroQoL-5D-5L assessed symptom burden and quality of life. Gender differences in baseline outcomes were examined using Pearson's Chi-square tests, Welch's t-tests, and multiple linear regressions.

resultsAmong 353 participants who completed the baseline survey, the mean (±SD) age was 70 (±9.5) years, and 50.1% were women (mean age: 67 ± 9 vs. men: 72 ± 10). In adjusted models, women had 4.9 points higher disease burden (p = 0.003) and reported higher symptom scores of pain (p = 0.018), tiredness (p = 0.021), nausea (p = 0.007), and loss of appetite compared to men (p = 0.036). Women had significantly more moderate/severe problems in usual activities and pain/discomfort and 0.07 points lower EuroQoL index than men (p = 0.010).

conclusionsThere were gender differences in disease/symptom burdens and quality of life. Women living with heart failure and multimorbidity had higher burdens but lower quality of life. IMPACT: Identifying gender differences among people with heart failure and multimorbidity can be the first step to explaining health disparities. Research should take more inclusive and equitable approaches to address these differences. Healthcare providers, including nurses, should implement targeted strategies for effective multimorbidity management by considering these differences and disparities in clinical settings. REPORTING

methodSTROBE checklist, cross-sectional. PATIENT OR PUBLIC CONTRIBUTION: No patient or public contribution.

Indexed as

Cost of IllnessHeart FailureMultimorbidityQuality of LifeAgedAged, 80 and overCross-Sectional StudiesFemaleHumansMaleMiddle AgedSex FactorsSymptom Burdenagedchronic illnessgenderheart failuremultimorbiditynursingquality of lifesymptom burden

Identifiers

PMID39957543
PMCPMC12312650

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceTDM
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.