Women with heart failure (HF) are particularly under-served, under-researched, and under-represented. They receive less aggressive medical treatment, experience longer hospital stays, and have poorer outcomes and challenges in accessing care and treatment options as compared to men. We have only limited knowledge of how women experience HF as expressed in their own voices, including their needs for information and support, approach to self-care, and impact on their day-to-day lives. This experiential evidence is essential in the design of future heart health services and would be a valuable source of information and support for women and their families, given that knowledge of others’ lived experiences is an important influence on learning and choices about personal health and healthcare.  

Objectives: Our overall aim is to contribute to improved experiences and decision-making for women living with HF, through gathering and sharing stories of what matters to women, in their own voices, and co-producing (with patient and clinical partners) an online resource based on this evidence for use by women and their providers. Our specific objectives are: