Abstract: Objective · To explore the impact and mechanism of disease management of caregivers on self-management behaviors among patients with chronic heart failure. Methods · A total of 231 dyads of outpatient chronic heart failure patients and their caregivers were assessedcaregivers contribution to self-care of heart failure index (CC-SCHFI), self-care of heart failure index (SCHFI) and Atlanta heart failure knowledge test(AHFKT-V2). IBM SPSS 22.0 was used to conduct the paired t test and Pearson correlation analysis. LISREL 8.80 was used to conduct the path analysis. Results · There were significant differences between caregivers and patients in maintenance behavior (P0.015), management behavior (P0.023) and self-efficacy (P0.001). There was no correlation between caregiver self-efficacy and patient heart failure knowledge and skill, but other variables were positively correlated, and r value ranged 0.129 to 0.575 (P<0.05). Patient self-management behaviors were directly influencedcaregiver disease management, patient heart failure knowledge and skill and patient self-efficacy, and indirectly influenced in partcaregiver disease management through patient heart failure knowledge and skill and patient self-efficacy. Conclusion · Caregiver disease management not only can directly influence patient self-management behaviors, but also can indirectly influence patient self-management behaviors through patient heart failure knowledge and skill and self-efficacy. Health care workers should carry out family-centered health education, and help caregivers actively participate in disease management of patients with heart failure; for those patients whose caregivers cant change their disease management behaviors, health care workers should also improve their self-management behaviorsimproving patients′ heart failure knowledge and skill and self-efficacy.

Key words: heart failure, caregiver, disease management, self-management