Forging partnerships between rural women with chronic conditions and their health care providers.
Successful adaptation to chronic illness is enhanced by active client-health care provider partnerships. The purposes of this article are to (a) examine the health care partnership needs of western rural women with chronic illness who participated in a computer-based support and education project, (b) describe how the role of the women in the partnership can be maximized by the use of a personal health record and improving health literacy, and (c) discuss ways health care providers can enhance their role in the partnership by careful listening and creating environments conducive to forging productive client-provider partnerships.
Cudney
Shirley
S
Montana State University, College of Nursing, Box 173560, Bozeman, MT 59717, USA. scudney@montana.edu.
Weinert
Clarann
C
Kinion
Elizabeth
E
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002908:Chronic Disease / Q000451:nursing / Q000628:therapy*; D003197:Computer Literacy; D003200:Computer User Training / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006266:Health Education / Q000458:organization & administration*; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D057220:Health Literacy / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009658:North Dakota; D019035:Rural Health Services / Q000458:organization & administration*; D012424:Rural Population / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012648:Self Care / Q000379:methods; D012657:Self-Help Groups; D012944:Social Support; D016387:Women's Health; D014932:Women's Health Services / Q000458:organization & administration