title: Self-management of the health care regimen: a comparison of nurses' and cardiac patients' perceptions.
abstract: This study compared perceptions of 129 elderly cardiac patients regarding their health status and self-management skills with corresponding assessments by outpatient nursing staff members. Nurse-patient perceptions were most congruent on general questions regarding the heart condition. Differences were most apparent regarding how aware patients were of being asked to follow a regimen for managing their heart problems; what specific components comprised the regimens the patients were to follow; and how much confidence patients had in their ability to comply with specific components of the regimen. Congruence in perceptions of nurses and patients varied by the sex of the patient. Findings suggest that careful and continuous assessment of patients' perceptions about their condition and ongoing instruction regarding specifics of the therapeutic regimen are key elements in efforts to enhance elderly patients' self-management skills.
authors.affiliation: School of Public Health, University of Michigan, 1420 Washington Heights, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-2029, USA.
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Dodge
authors.forename: N K
authors.initials: NK
authors.lastname: Janz
authors.forename: N M
authors.initials: NM
authors.lastname: Clark
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D001294:Attitude to Health; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D015577:Geriatric Assessment; D006304:Health Status; D006331:Heart Diseases / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000523:psychology; D006801:Humans; D007297:Inpatients / Q000523:psychology*; D008297:Male; D008824:Michigan; D008875:Middle Aged; D009730:Nursing Assessment; D015404:Nursing Methodology Research; D009741:Nursing Staff, Hospital / Q000523:psychology*; D012648:Self Care / Q000523:psychology*; D020377:Self Efficacy; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires