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Critical analysis of everyday self‐care decision making in chronic illness
Author(s) -
Paterson Barbara L.,
Russell Cynthia,
Thorne Sally
Publication year - 2001
Publication title -
journal of advanced nursing
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.948
H-Index - 155
eISSN - 1365-2648
pISSN - 0309-2402
DOI - 10.1046/j.1365-2648.2001.01850.x
Subject(s) - conceptualization , chronic disease , psychology , disease , medicine , self care , health care , family medicine , computer science , pathology , artificial intelligence , economics , economic growth
Critical analysis of everyday self‐care decision making in chronic illnessAims of the paper. The purpose of the paper is to (1) identify prevalent assumptions that underlie the traditional conceptualization of everyday self‐care decision making and (2) contrast these with the findings of relevant research. Background/Rationale. Current understandings of self‐care decision making in chronic illness tend to be extrapolated from knowledge gained in relation to one‐time decisions, or decision making in contexts that are only superficially related to the complexity and pervasiveness of living with a chronic disease. Findings. The authors challenge the assumptions with which current understandings represent self‐care decision making in chronic illness, using evidence from their research on what it is like to live with and manage the implications of having a chronic disease on an everyday basis. Conclusions. The paper concludes with a call for a new conceptualization of self‐care decision making in chronic illness which sufficiently addresses the unique and complex nature of such decisions.