title: Self-care behaviours and trajectory management by people with scleroderma in northeastern Thailand.
abstract: Scleroderma, particularly systemic sclerosis, is a chronic illness that affects a person's physical, emotional, psychosocial, and spiritual dimensions. To investigate self-care deficits, health behaviours, and trajectory management of Thai people with systemic sclerosis, an exploratory case study method was used through interviews and patient records. Self-care deficit nursing theory and the chronic illness trajectory framework guided the research. Twelve patients with systemic sclerosis were purposively recruited at a hospital clinic in the northeastern region of Thailand. Thai people living with systemic sclerosis developed specific self-care agencies in each of 3 identified trajectory patterns to improve their health and well-being. By applying the theory and framework that guided the research, nurses can promote self-care behaviours and recognize situations along an illness trajectory that require intervention and management. The results extend the understanding of how people live and cope with systemic sclerosis.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Nursing, Mahasarakham University, Mahasarakham, Thailand.
authors.forename: Promjit
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Hornboonherm
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Medicine, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen, Thailand.
authors.forename: Ratanavadee
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Nanagara
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Nursing, Mahasarakham University, Mahasarakham, Thailand.
authors.forename: Apinya
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kochamat
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Medicine, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen, Thailand.
authors.forename: Oratai
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Wantha
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002908:Chronic Disease; D005260:Female; D015438:Health Behavior; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012595:Scleroderma, Systemic / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy*; D012648:Self Care; D013785:Thailand
keywords: chronic disease; nursing; orem self-care model; scleroderma, systemic sclerosis; self-care