title: Patients with alcohol-related liver disease--beliefs about their illness and factors that influence their self-management.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the association between illness belief and self-efficacy to provide the evidence-base to develop a personalized framework to support self-management in patients with alcohol-related liver disease.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  Research in a variety of long-term illnesses suggests patients' illness beliefs are a more influential factor for patient recovery than the severity of the illness. However, research into illness belief and self-efficacy of patients with alcohol-related liver disease is sparse.
  
  
  METHODS
  A cross-sectional survey.
  
  
  METHODS
  A cohort of 159 patients with alcohol-related liver disease who attended the Liver Outpatient Clinics at a London Hospital (October 2012-November 2013) completed a set of validated instruments measuring illness beliefs, self-efficacy, emotional states and quality of life.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean age of enrolled patients was 52 years, 67% male, 26% live on their own, 61% had no previous history of other chronic illness and average Model for End-Stage Liver Disease and The AUDIT Alcohol Consumption Questions scores were 11·0 and 3·5 respectively. After adjusting for demographic and illness characteristic components, multiple regression analysis shows that the three illness belief components 'Symptoms', 'Understanding' and 'Concerns' made a significant contribution to their confidence to self-manage their liver condition and the 'Symptoms' component makes a signification contribution across to all outcome measures: Anxiety, Depression, Quality of Life and Self-Efficacy.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Interventions designed to improve these patients' understanding of their illness and strategies to manage their symptoms are likely to improve their self-management, quality of life and reduce anxiety and depression.
authors.affiliation: King's College London, UK.
authors.forename: Margaret
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lau-Walker
authors.affiliation: Kings College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK.
authors.forename: Jonathan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Presky
authors.affiliation: Kings College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK.
authors.forename: Ian
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Webzell
authors.affiliation: King's College London, UK.
authors.forename: Trevor
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Murrells
authors.affiliation: Kings College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK.
authors.forename: Nigel
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Heaton
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000523:psychology*; D001294:Attitude to Health; D002908:Chronic Disease / Q000523:psychology*; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008107:Liver Diseases / Q000209:etiology* / Q000523:psychology*; D008131:London; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010361:Patients / Q000523:psychology*; D012648:Self Care / Q000523:psychology*; D020377:Self Efficacy; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
keywords: alcohol-related liver disease; illness belief; nursing; self-efficacy; self-management