title: The determinants of time spent on self-care.
abstract: More input from the individual into the management of their health has the potential to reduce demand on the formal care system and improve health outcomes. A variety of interventions have been developed to encourage such 'self-care', particularly for populations with long-term conditions. However the equity consequences of such initiatives are relatively unknown as there is little evidence on the social and economic determinants of time spent on self-care.
  
  
  
  We estimate the social and economic determinants of time spent on self-care. We also examine whether patients spend time on self-care because they are compensating for lack of access to formal health care. We undertook regression analyses of eight self-care and formal care measures from a dedicated survey of 300 patients with long-term conditions.
  
  
  
  We found that higher income is associated with less time spent on self-care. Various measures of access to formal health care are found to not be associated with time spent on self-care.
  
  
  
  People from a lower socioeconomic position spend more time managing their condition even when there is universal entitlement to health care.
authors.affiliation: Manchester Centre for Health Economics, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK Hannah.forbes@manchester.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Hannah
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Forbes
authors.affiliation: Manchester Centre for Health Economics, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK.
authors.forename: Matt
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sutton
authors.affiliation: Centre for Health Economics, University of York, York, UK.
authors.forename: Gerry
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Richardson
authors.affiliation: NIHR CLAHRC Wessex, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK.
authors.forename: Anne
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rogers
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002908:Chronic Disease / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D006297:Health Services Accessibility; D006801:Humans; D007182:Income; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012648:Self Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012923:Social Class; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013997:Time Factors
keywords: Self-care; informal care; long-term condition; socioeconomic background; time