背景:近年來隨著社會繁榮，國人飲食逐漸西化，加上生活忙碌、缺乏運動，使得心血管疾病不再侷限於老年人為好發族群，有逐漸年輕化的趨勢。而這些年紀輕的心血管疾病患者仍需上班工作。目的:探討在職工作之心臟衰竭病患的疾病知識與自我照顧行為及其相關因素。方法:以北部某區域教學醫院心臟衰竭門診仍在職場工作之病患為收案對象，以結構式問卷分疾病知識、自我照顧行為兩部份填答。結果:本研究共有50位病患參與，病人平均年齡為49.2（± 9.6）歲，心臟衰竭疾病知識得分為7.5分（滿分15），自我照顧行為得分為41.8分（滿分60）；年齡、教育程度與疾病知識以及教育程度與自我照顧行為在統計上達顯著差異（p < .05）；整體性自我照顧行為與整體性疾病知識呈現正相關（r =.54, p <.01）。結論:本研究可作為醫護人員之參考，並針對不同年齡及不同教育程度的對象提供合宜的學習衛教方式，多方面提供資訊，而對年齡較長或教育程度低者，則應採取加強教育，以達到增強其學習能力之效果。

Background: Some patients with HF are young and still of working age.
Purposes: This study investigated the relationship between disease knowledge and self-care behaviors in heart failure (HF) patients who were still gainfully employed. Methods: We recruited fifty HF patients who were still employed and working from cardiologist outpatient clinics of
a regional teaching hospital in Northern Taiwan. We used a structured questionnaire to collect data on patient disease knowledge and self-care behaviors. Results: Mean patient age was 49.2 (± 9.6) years old; the average HF disease knowledge score was 7.5 points (out of 15); and the average self-care abilities score was 41.8 points (out of 60). This study found a significant relationship between self-care abilities and the variables of age, education level and disease knowledge (p < .05). There was a positive correlation between self-care ability and the total disease knowledge score (r = .54, p < .01). Conclusions: Our study provides information about healthcare for patients at different age and education levels. We suggest an emphasis on healthcare education for older and/or less educated patients to enhance their self-care efficacy.