Relationships among self-efficacy, outcome expectancy, and postoperative behaviors in total joint replacement patients.
OBJECTIVE
To determine whether self-efficacy and outcome expectancy predicted performance of postoperative leg exercises and ambulation among persons recovering from total hip or total knee replacement.


METHODS
Descriptive correlational.


METHODS
50 subjects recovering from their first unilateral total hip or total knee replacement at a large midwestern hospital who had completed a preoperative education course.


METHODS
On postoperative day 1, subjects who correctly performed leg exercises and could properly ambulate with a walker were administered the Self-Efficacy Scale and the Outcome Expectancy Scale. On postoperative day 2, frequency and repetitions of leg exercises were measured by self-report. Ambulation was measured by distance walked in feet.


RESULTS
Self-efficacy was the sole predictor of the dependent variables, accounting for 8% to 33% of the variance. Higher levels of self-efficacy were correlated with longer distances in ambulation and with higher frequency and more repetitions of leg exercises.


CONCLUSIONS
Solely providing a preoperative education course is not sufficient to ensure performance of postoperative behaviors in total joint replacement patients. Patients' self-efficacy beliefs may need to be considered when planning a preoperative educational program for patients undergoing total joint replacement surgery. This study's situation-specific measure of self-efficacy could be used in the clinical setting to identify patients with low levels of self-efficacy who may be less likely to perform preventive postoperative behaviors.
Moon
L B
LB
St. Francis Hospital, Beech Grove, Indiana, USA.
Backer
J
J
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D019643:Arthroplasty, Replacement / Q000523:psychology* / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D001294:Attitude to Health; D004434:Early Ambulation / Q000523:psychology*; D005081:Exercise Therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011182:Postoperative Care / Q000523:psychology*; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D020377:Self Efficacy; D016896:Treatment Outcome