Search Results (9)

Background: Health literacy is widely recognized as a fundamental determinant of chronic disease self-management. Despite the escalating burden of diabetes mellitus in Saudi Arabia, the relationship between health literacy and diabetes self-care management within specific urban–peripheral communities remains inadequately characterized. This study aimed to examine the relationship between health literacy and diabetes self-care management among adults with diabetes residing in southern Riyadh, and to examine associations with key sociodemographic variables, including age, income, gender, and educational attainment. Methods: A non-experimental, cross-sectional, correlational design was employed. A purposive sample of 92 adults with a confirmed diagnosis of diabetes was recruited from primary healthcare centers in southern Riyadh. Data were gathered using the Arabic-validated 12-item European Health Literacy Scale (HLS-Q12) and the 8-item Arabic Summary of Diabetes Self-Care Activities (SDSCA). Descriptive statistics and Spearman rank-order correlations were computed using IBM SPSS Statistics, Version 25. Results: A significant positive correlation was identified between health literacy and diabetes self-care management (rs = 0.64, 95% CI [0.50, 0.75], p < 0.01). Income level demonstrated significant positive associations with both health literacy (rs = 0.41, p < 0.01) and self-care practices (rs = 0.40, p < 0.01). Age exhibited significant negative correlations with health literacy (rs = −0.36, p < 0.01) and self-care management (rs = −0.49, p < 0.01). Educational attainment was significantly associated with both self-care management (rs = 0.29, p < 0.01) and health literacy (rs = 0.26, p < 0.05). Gender was not significantly associated with either outcome. Conclusions: Health literacy was significantly associated with diabetes self-care management in southern Riyadh and may represent a potentially modifiable target for nursing intervention. Findings point to the urgency of designing equity-sensitive, culturally responsive interventions targeting older adults and economically marginalized populations. These preliminary findings may carry implications for nursing practice, diabetes education, and health policy in Saudi Arabia, pending confirmation in larger, prospective samples. Full article

Background/Objectives: Peristomal skin complications are common among individuals with a stoma and are associated with decreased quality of life, increased healthcare costs, social isolation, and various other challenges. However, these complications can often be prevented through appropriate care, patient education, counseling, and follow-up. This quasi-experimental study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of education based on Orem’s Self-Care Deficit Nursing Theory (SCDNT) in preventing peristomal skin complications. Methods: The study included 45 patients with newly formed stomas, allocated to an experimental group (n = 24) and a control group (n = 21) using a nonrandomized approach. Both groups received routine postoperative education, while the experimental group additionally received structured education, counseling, and follow-up based on SCDNT. Data were collected using the Patient Characteristics Form, Self-Care Agency Scale (SCAS), Stoma Quality of Life Scale (SQOL), Patient Outcomes Evaluation Form, and Patient Opinions Questionnaire. Results: Among the participants, 73.3% had undergone stoma surgery due to cancer, and 53.3% had an ileostomy. Peristomal skin complications were observed in 54.2% of patients in the experimental group and 95.2% in the control group (p < 0.05). The most frequently reported complications were irritant dermatitis (71.4%) and hyperplasia (22.7%). The mean recovery time was shorter in the experimental group (21 ± 12.95 days) compared to the control group (44.65 ± 23.56 days) (p < 0.05). Conclusions: SCDNT-based education, counseling, and follow-up may be associated with lower rates and shorter durations of peristomal skin complications and earlier patient engagement in self-care. However, these findings should be interpreted with caution due to the nonrandomized design, small sample size, and differences in follow-up intensity. Further randomized controlled studies are recommended to confirm these findings. Full article

Background/Objectives: Family members who provide care play a central but often underestimated role in the healthcare system and are frequently exposed to considerable physical, emotional, and social stress. To better understand and support their needs, a structured self-assessment tool (SSA-PA) was developed. This development addresses the current lack of practical, validated instruments that enable caregivers to systematically reflect on their own stress levels and resources, which is becoming increasingly important in view of the growing demand for care and the risk of caregiver burnout. This tool aims to promote self-reflection, identify individual stresses and resources, and enable more targeted support for family caregivers. Methods: The development process (September–December 2024) followed a multi-phase design that integrated theoretical foundations from nursing, health, and psychology, in particular Orem’s theory of self-care deficit, Lazarus and Folkman’s stress and coping model, and Engel’s biopsychosocial model. Four core dimensions were defined: (1) health and self-care, (2) burden and stress, (3) support and resources, and (4) satisfaction and quality of life. The final tool comprises 37 items (mostly 5-point Likert scales), supplemented by multiple-choice and open-ended questions. Content validity was ensured through expert review and testing with nine family caregivers. Internal consistency was assessed using Cronbach’s alpha (α = 0.998), indicating very high reliability, although possible item redundancies were identified. The evaluation took place in January 2025 with 33 family caregivers to assess user-friendliness, relevance, and perceived usefulness. Results: The majority of participants rated the tool as user-friendly and clearly structured. Around 80% reported a high level of comprehensibility, and over half stated that the tool provided new insights into their own health and care burden. Qualitative feedback highlighted the value of the tool for self-reflection and motivation to seek external support. Suggestions for improvement included shorter item formulations, improved visual feedback (e.g., progress bars or charts), and expanded question areas on financial burdens and digital support options. Conclusions: The SSA-PA is a theoretically grounded and user-centered tool for assessing and reflecting on the situation of family caregivers. It not only enables systematic self-assessments but also promotes awareness and proactive coping strategies. Future research should focus on conducting factor analyses to further validate the construct, testing the tool in larger samples, and exploring its integration into structured care consultations to improve the quality of home care. Full article

Background: Nursing research has evolved through different historical stages, from the initial development of theoretical models to today’s challenges involving advanced practice and emerging technologies. Within this context, Middle-Range Nursing Theories (MRNTs) play a crucial role as a bridge between abstract conceptual frameworks and clinical practice. However, their recent production appears limited. Aims: To identify MRNTs published in the last five years, determine the main thematic fields addressed, and analyze current trends in their development. Methods: A scoping review was conducted in accordance with PRISMA-ScR guidelines. Databases searched included MEDLINE, CINAHL, PsycINFO, EMBASE, and Education Research Complete (August 2025). Eligible studies were published within the last five years in journals indexed in the Journal Citation Reports and explicitly proposed an MRNT. Exclusion criteria encompassed non-nursing theories, secondary applications of existing models, and purely methodological studies. Results: From 1230 initial records, 18 articles met the inclusion criteria. The Revista Brasileira de Enfermagem accounted for the highest number of publications. The identified MRNTs predominantly addressed clinical diagnoses and phenomena such as heart failure self-care, overweight, occupational stress, peripheral tissue perfusion, and social support networks. Most theories were derived from established nursing models (Orem, Roy, Levine, Neuman, Watson). Despite thematic diversity, few MRNTs had undergone methodological validation. Conclusions: Recent MRNT development remains limited and geographically concentrated, with Brazil emerging as a leading contributor. Strengthening methodological validation, clinical integration, and international dissemination is essential, as MRNTs continue to be pivotal tools for advancing nursing science, reinforcing disciplinary identity, and reducing the persistent gap between theory and practice. Full article

Background/Objectives: This study aims to investigate the effects of a home-based cardiac rehabilitation (HBCR) program via a LINE application on functional capacity and quality of life (QOL) in open-heart surgery patients. Methods: This study involved 54 open-heart surgery patients divided into a control group and an experimental group (27 intervention, 27 control) using pair matching. Participants in the intervention group participated in the HBCR program, while the control group received standard care. Orem’s self-care theory was used as the conceptual framework. Functional capacity was measured via a six-minute walk test and the Duke Activity Status Index, while QOL was measured via the Thai version of the Short Form-36 Survey. Results: The findings from the study reveal that the patients who underwent open-heart surgery in the experimental group had significantly higher functional capacity compared to those in the control group (p < 0.05). Additionally, the overall QOL of the open-heart surgery patients in the experimental group was significantly better than that of the control group, alongside physical functioning, emotional roles, vitality, mental health, social functioning, and general health (p < 0.05). However, there were no significant differences between the two groups in terms of physical roles and bodily pain (p > 0.05). Conclusions: Using an HBCR program via the LINE application has the potential to enhance the at-home self-care ability of post-open-heart surgery patients, thus improving their functional capacity and QOL. Full article

The purposes of this study were to evaluate the psychometric properties of English and Spanish instruments that measure the nutrition behavior and practices of children and their parents. Orem’s self-care deficit nursing theory was used in this methodological study. A convenience sample of 333 children and 262 mothers participated from two schools in Washington, D.C. and two schools in Santiago, Chile. Principal component analysis indicated three component per instrument corresponding to Orem’s Theory of operations demonstrating construct validity of the instrument. The study findings showed evidence for validity and reliability of the English and Spanish versions and indicated that the instruments appropriately represented Orem’s operations. The results have implications for the development of health behavior measurement instruments that are valid, reliable, designed for children, culturally appropriate, and efficient. Measuring the nutrition behavior of children and parents is critical for determining the effectiveness of nutrition intervention programs. Furthermore, instruments are needed so that researchers can compare corresponding child and parent behaviors or compare behaviors across cultures. Full article

Background: Nursing interventions for persons affected by long-term conditions should focus on providing support to enhance the ability to manage disease in everyday life. Many clinical nurses feel they have inadequate training or experience to provide self-management support in a beneficial and structured way. This study explores the process towards independent self-care and management of disease in persons affected by Parkinson’s disease and the support required from healthcare to achieve this. It presents a nursing model to guide nurses in providing self-management support in the clinical care encounter. Methods: The results from three previously published articles investigating a self-management support program for persons with Parkinson’s disease were combined to form a new data set, and analyzed using qualitative thematic analysis. Results: Three separate, but interrelated, themes were identified, which described the process towards self-management of disease as expressed by the participants of the self-management program. Themes describe the factors important for developing and improving self-management abilities and actions. The results were applied to Orem’s Self-care deficit theory to suggest a model of self-management support in the clinical nursing encounter. Conclusion: This study investigated factors important for self-management and highlighted the unique contribution and focus of nursing support to promote independent self-care. Full article

Pneumoconiosis is an irreversible chronic disease. With functional limitations and an inability to work, pneumoconiosis patients require support from family caregivers. However, the needs of pneumoconiosis caregivers have been neglected. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of a nurse-led education program, which involved four weekly 90-min workshops led by an experienced nurse and guided by Orem’s self-care deficit theory. A single-group, repeated-measure study design was adopted. Caregivers’ mental health (Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, HADS, four single items for stress, worriedness, tiredness, and insufficient support), caregiving burdens (caregiving burden scale, CBS), and unmet direct support and enabling needs (Carer Support Needs Assessment Tool, CSNAT) were measured at the baseline (T0), immediately after (T1), and one month after intervention (T2); 49, 41, and 28 female participants completed the T0, T1, and T2 measurements. Mean age was 65.9 years old (SD 10.08) with a range between 37 and 85 years old. The program improved the caregivers’ mental wellbeing, and reduced their caregiving burdens and their unmet support and enabling needs, both immediately (T1) and one-month after the intervention (T2). In particular, the intervention improved the caregivers’ mental wellbeing significantly, specifically depression symptoms, stress, and tiredness immediately after the intervention; and reduced most of their unmet support needs and unmet enabling needs one-month after the intervention. This was the first nurse-led program for pneumoconiosis caregivers and should serve as a foundation for further studies to test the program with robust designs. Full article

The purpose of this study was to develop a midrange theory, building on Orem’s self-care deficit nursing theory (SCDNT) to include constructs of religion, spirituality, and spiritual self‑care practices. This mid-range theory, White’s theory of spirituality and spiritual self-care (WTSSSC), was developed and tested as part of a larger study of African American patients with heart failure (HF). The aim of the study was to determine if spiritual self-care practices were mediating the relationship between depression and quality of life for African Americans diagnosed with heart failure. Participants in this study included 142 African Americans diagnosed with HF who were recruited at the clinic where they were being treated. Four instruments were used to measure spiritual self-care practices (White’s Spiritual Self-Care Practice Scale (WSPSCPC)), depression symptomology (Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9)), quality of life (World Health Organization QOL (WHOQOL-Bref)), and personal characteristics. Results of the analysis were statistically significant, indicating that spirituality self-care practices were mediating the relationship between depression and quality of life for African American individuals diagnosed with HF. As the population ages and chronic illness becomes more common, nurses need to promote the use of spirituality self-care practices to help patients maintain their well-being. Full article