Exploring self-management in adult sickle cell disease patients' at a Teaching Hospital in Ghana.
Ninon P Amertil, Elikem Keli Ayitey, Doris Grace Kpongboe and 1 others
PMID 33369204WHAT IT FOUND
Among adults with sickle cell disease in Ghana, higher self-efficacy was linked to better self-management and lower illness uncertainty, while uncertainty was linked to poorer self-management.
Key findings
01Self-efficacy was positively associated with self-management (r = 0.357, p < .01) and negatively associated with illness uncertainty (r = -0.459, p < .01).
02Self-management was negatively associated with illness uncertainty (r = -0.260, p < .05), while self-management and uncertainty were not significantly associated with yearly emergency hospital visits.
03Employment, marital status and gender significantly predicted self-management, and living situation and education significantly predicted uncertainty.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for RNs
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What it does not show
The study was cross-sectional, so it cannot show that changing self-efficacy or uncertainty improves self-management. Participants were recruited from one teaching hospital in Ghana using a non-random sample. Patients in crisis or with cognitive problems were excluded, so findings may not apply to those with severe pain episodes or depression. The study did not capture home remedies or self-care measures used at home. It relied on questionnaires and did not include patients' own accounts of their experience.
Declared interests
The authors declared no conflict of interest.
The easy way to misread this
Do not conclude that targeting self-efficacy or illness uncertainty will improve self-management. The study was cross-sectional and did not test an intervention.