title: Self-care agency and perceived health among people using advanced medical technology at home.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This article reports a study of self-care agency and perceived health in a group of people using advanced medical technology at home.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  An increasing number of people are using medical technology for self-care. Few studies describe daily life in this context at an overriding level, irrespective of the specific sort of technology. A connection between self-care, perceived health and sense of coherence has previously been implied.
  
  
  METHODS
  A descriptive, comparative, cross-sectional quantitative design was used. Data were collected from a questionnaire during the winter of 2009/2010. The questionnaire addressed perceived health and daily life with medical technology. Swedish versions of the Appraisal of Self-care Agency scale and the 13-item version of Antonovsky's sense of coherence scale were included.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The questionnaire was answered by 180 adults performing self-care at home involving long-term oxygen, a ventilator, or peritoneal- or haemo-dialysis. Health-related and technology-related variables in daily life were mostly highly satisfactory. Perceived health was rated significantly lower among participants using long-term oxygen. Sufficient sense of coherence, knowledge of how to use technology, close contact with others and not feeling helpless contributed positively to self-care agency. Positive contributing factors for perceived health were being satisfied with life, having an active life and not feeling helpless, whereas age was a negative factor.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Daily life is manageable for people in this context. Long-term oxygen treatment and advanced age can be regarded as risk factors for perceiving ill health.
authors: Department of Nursing, Health and Culture, University West, Sweden. angelika.fex@hv.se
authors: Angelika
authors: A
authors: Fex
authors: Gullvi
authors: G
authors: Flensner
authors: Anna-Christina
authors: AC
authors: Ek
authors: Olle
authors: O
authors: Söderhamn
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001294:Attitude to Health; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006437:Hemodialysis, Home / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000523:psychology*; D006699:Home Care Services; D006801:Humans; D016014:Linear Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010102:Oxygen Inhalation Therapy / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000523:psychology*; D010530:Peritoneal Dialysis / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000523:psychology; D011788:Quality of Life; D012121:Respiration, Artificial / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000523:psychology*; D012648:Self Care / Q000523:psychology*; D060685:Sense of Coherence; D013548:Sweden; D055815:Young Adult