Social Prescribing to Enhance Medication Adherence and Quality of Life in Women with Heart Failure

What this Trial Is About

Heart failure HF is a leading cause of hospitalizations among women in North America, and many women do not follow recommended medical treatments, leading to high rates of hospital stays and death. This research evaluates whether social prescribing SP, a non-medical approach that connects patients to community resources addressing social needs, can improve medication adherence and quality of life for Canadian women with heart failure who are at high risk of non-adherence due to social factors. The trial is a randomized clinical study conducted in multiple centers to assess this innovative approach. Participants will be randomly assigned to either receive social prescribing or continue with usual care. Women in the social prescribing group will meet with a link worker LW who will assess their social needs through interviews and a questionnaire, then provide personalized referrals to community supports addressing issues such as income, transportation, housing, loneliness, mental health, and medication management. The intervention includes an initial consultation and structured follow-up calls over one year to monitor engagement and update prescriptions. The control group will receive standard care without the social prescribing intervention. Throughout the one-year study period, participants will complete assessments including adherence to guideline-directed medical therapy measured by proportion of days covered PDC using health records, and quality of life evaluations using the Kansas City Cardiomyopathy Questionnaire KCCQ-12. Follow-up assessments will occur at baseline, six months, and one year. The study aims to see if social prescribing improves medication adherence and quality of life compared to usual care in women with heart failure facing social challenges.

Social Prescribing to Improve Adherence and Outcomes in Women With Heart Failure