title: Health promotion and self-care in the case of cardiovascular disease.
abstract: Since the early 1970s experimental studies on self-care and chronic disease have demonstrated the importance of combining professional knowledge and the experiential insight of patients. As a means of promoting health the Duo Formula Group approach (DFG) method has been developed. Part of a larger DFG study focuses on the application and evaluation of a self-care programme following cardiac surgery. The duo formula method teaches patients how to assume more responsibility for the management of their physical condition. This DFG study used an experimental/control group design whereby 59 patients and 49 partners were assessed pre-intervention (M1), post-intervention (M2) and during a follow-up period of 6 months (M3). The study examined changes in illness behaviour, depression, Type A behaviour and anxiety in both patients and partners. At this intermediate stage of the study, patients show decreased depression (M2-M1: t = 2.79, p less than 0.01); and their partners decreased anxiety (M2-M1: t = 1.97, 0.05 less than p less than 0.10).
authors.affiliation: Centre for Self-Care Initiatives/CSI, School of Medicine, University of Limburg, Maastricht, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: M B
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Schulte
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kester
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Pluym
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Sutherland
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000628:therapy*; D002908:Chronic Disease; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D015438:Health Behavior; D006293:Health Promotion; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012648:Self Care