title: Patients' use of self-monitored readings for managing everyday life with COPD: a qualitative study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Effects of self-monitoring depend on how patients engage with readings and how this engagement is used for managing chronic disease. This article reports on a study of how chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients made use of readings during 16 weeks of self-monitoring.
  
  
  METHODS
  Semistructured interviews were conducted with 22 COPD patients three times each: at the beginning, halfway through, and after the monitoring device was collected. Spouses of nine interviewees were present during one or more interviews. The analysis of how patients used self-monitored readings was based on critical psychology.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Patients used readings to monitor bodily condition, to judge whether and when to contact health professionals, to communicate with health professionals about health management, to revise planned activities, to engage close relatives, and to motivate exercise and other health behavior. Self-monitoring can produce a sense of security as readings provide grounds for explaining symptoms and widen the scope of possibilities for taking action. Patients experienced readings as encouraging, reassuring, depressing, worrisome, and at times disturbing. A few patients involved themselves with readings in ways that are emotionally challenging and contrary to medical advice. Reasons for not making use of self-monitoring include good health or not regarding monitoring as relevant at the time.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Results can qualify the support health professionals offer in relation to patients' self-monitoring and self-management.
authors.affiliation: University of Southern Denmark, Institute of Public Health, Odense, Denmark. lhuniche@health.sdu.dk
authors.forename: Lotte
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Huniche
authors.forename: Birthe
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Dinesen
authors.forename: Carl
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Nielsen
authors.forename: Ove
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Grann
authors.forename: Egon
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Toft
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003718:Denmark; D005260:Female; D006297:Health Services Accessibility; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018670:Monitoring, Ambulatory / Q000379:methods* / Q000523:psychology; D029424:Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000523:psychology; D036301:Qualitative Research; D012648:Self Care / Q000379:methods* / Q000523:psychology; D017678:Sex Distribution; D017216:Telemedicine