What is the 'self' in chronic disease self-management?

摘要

What is the 'self in self-management of chronic disease? A vast amount of literature identifies patients themselves as being a pivotal determinant of health outcomes across different chronic diseases. Self-management as an "individual's ability to manage the symptoms, treatment, physical and psychosocial consequences and lifestyle changes inherent in living with a chronic condition" (Barlow et al., 2002, p. 178) not only includes behaviors related to treatment plans (such as medication consumption), but also to social and role management (Adams et al., 2004; Newman et al., 2004). Accordingly, the interventions that healthcare providers offer to promote self-management are important and complex (Adams et al., 2004; Barlow et al., 2002; Disler et al., 2012).