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Open Access
Article
Publication date: 8 September 2023

Arianna Maever Loreche, Veincent Christian F. Pepito and Manuel M. Dayrit

This review aimed to identify and map published studies on self-care practices to manage common acute health conditions in the Philippines.

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Abstract

Purpose

This review aimed to identify and map published studies on self-care practices to manage common acute health conditions in the Philippines.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors conducted a scoping review in PubMed, Scopus, Cumulative Index of Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL), ProQuest Central, Journal Storage (JSTOR) and the Philippine Council for Health Research and Development – Health Research and Development Information Network (HERDIN). The authors included all studies on self-care practices to manage common acute conditions, namely low back pain, allergic rhinitis, general acute pain, cough, cold, diarrhea, constipation and stress, published up to 2021 in the Philippines. Information on the article type, aim of the study, study design and setting, population characteristics and size, and self-practices employed for the conditions were extracted and synthesized.

Findings

The authors identified various self-care practices for acute conditions among the general population and indigenous peoples in the Philippines from 26 studies included in the review: the use of medicines with and without a prescription, appropriate and inappropriate antibiotic use, use of medicinal plants and other traditional and alternative therapies and products, recreational activities and healthy habits and behaviors, and self-management or seeking care from traditional healers (albularyo or manggagamot) or health professionals. A number of considerations influenced their decision on how to manage symptoms, including perceived severity of the condition, availability and perceived effectiveness of treatment, cost, and advice from trusted sources of health information.

Research limitations/implications

The authors searched five major databases and a local research database, but some studies may still have been missed in the review. The review also excluded intervention studies on the outcomes of self-care, which limits the authors' ability to make conclusions on the effectiveness of the different modalities of self-care.

Social implications

Filipinos engage in a variety of “safe” (or evidence-informed) and “unsafe” (or harmful) self-care practices. While the term “self-care” is not routinely used by the general population and health providers, it is widely enculturated and practiced in the Philippines. Self-care benefits individuals and the health system, but there are also practices that increase risk of adverse outcomes and death including inappropriate antibiotic use, prescription sharing and reuse, and delays in seeking adequate treatment from a health professional. To leverage on self-care in advancing Universal Health Coverage (UHC) goals, the authors recommend a national strategy that provides guidance on how to practice responsible self-care, further research on the effectiveness and safety of alternative medicine and other priority areas, and better integration of self-care in the formal education and health systems. The authors also propose that the research agenda on self-care include acute health conditions, given their impact and burden on health and the economy.

Originality/value

This is the first published review of self-care practices for managing common acute health conditions, which captured practices of various groups and populations including indigenous peoples.

Details

International Journal of Health Governance, vol. 28 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2059-4631

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 2 July 2020

Joshua Ray, John Pijanowski and Kara Lasater

The purpose of this study was to explore the well-being of school principals and the job-embedded demands responsible for challenging their adoption of healthy self-care practices.

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this study was to explore the well-being of school principals and the job-embedded demands responsible for challenging their adoption of healthy self-care practices.

Design/methodology/approach

Drawing upon a multidisciplinary theoretical framework that included contributions from the fields of neurobiology and psychology, three tiers of self-care needs were established to inform the study: basic physiological needs such as sleep, hydration, and nutrition; active self-care practices such as exercise, relaxation, and stress relief; and higher order needs such as belongingness and love addressed through work-life balance, volunteerism, and relational belonging. A 45-question survey containing Likert scale items and open-ended questions was returned from 473 practicing building administrators (a 24.4% response rate).

Findings

Findings from this study, compared to estimates from the literature, indicate that school leaders work longer hours, are more sleep deprived, more dehydrated, have poorer diet practices, exercise less regularly, and spend less time with their friends and family than the general population. Administrators struggled to find ways within their control to improve their self-care behavior and offered suggestions regarding how the structure of the job itself might be changed to facilitate improving the health of school leaders.

Originality/value

This work offers insight into the current well-being of school principals, and by better understanding administrators’ self-care practices, this study can inform the field in developing supports, practices, and expectations, which promote the health and well-being of building-level leaders. Unhealthy self-care practices may influence their effectiveness, happiness, and possibly their longevity within the profession. Data collected through this study informed ideas about policies and procedures that could promote greater opportunities for healthier, more effective leaders within schools.

Details

Journal of Educational Administration, vol. 58 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0957-8234

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 22 November 2019

Debolina Chatterjee, Suhita Chopra Chatterjee and Tulika Bhattacharyya

Self-care is defined as the ability to take care of one’s body and health with or without the help of healthcare personnel. The purpose of this paper is to explore the…

Abstract

Purpose

Self-care is defined as the ability to take care of one’s body and health with or without the help of healthcare personnel. The purpose of this paper is to explore the opportunities for self-care among imprisoned women within the constraints of a confined life, which, in turn, affect their health.

Design/methodology/approach

Primary data have been collected through semi-structured interviews with 90 women in three prisons in the Indian state of West Bengal.

Findings

Findings reveal that a majority of the women cited the inability to self-care was due to factors such as constricted architecture, specific penal policies that thwarted relational contexts in prisons and also the loss of control over their consumptive choices. However, it was found that coping mechanisms also existed among some women who actively constituted penal spaces for self-care. Many long-term imprisoned women tried to actively engage themselves in daily activities such as the “labour” allotted to them.

Practical implications

The paper concludes that abilities to self-care have a deep impact on the health of women, which if not facilitated will lead to a health depleting experience. At a time when Indian prisons are focussing on rehabilitation, the recommendations for providing opportunities for self-care in prisons can minimize the “pains” of imprisonment and pave the way for rehabilitation.

Originality/value

The research is based on data collected during original fieldwork conducted in three prisons in West Bengal, India. It provides valuable insights on how penal environments affect self-care opportunities of imprisoned women.

Details

International Journal of Prisoner Health, vol. 16 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1744-9200

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 10 March 2022

Sonya D. Hayes, Erin Anderson and Bradley W. Carpenter

This study centers the reflections of principals across the USA as they navigated the overwhelming stress of closing and reopening schools during a global pandemic. Specifically…

Abstract

Purpose

This study centers the reflections of principals across the USA as they navigated the overwhelming stress of closing and reopening schools during a global pandemic. Specifically, the authors explored how school principals addressed self-care and their own well-being during the pandemic.

Design/methodology/approach

This research study is part of a broader qualitative study conducted by 20 scholars from across the USA in Spring 2020 and organized by the Consortium for Policy Research in Education (CPRE). This national research team conducted 120 qualitative interviews with public school principals in 19 different states and 100 districts. As part of this team, the authors coded and analyzed all 120 transcripts in NVivo using a self-care framework.

Findings

The responses from the participants capture some of the complexity of self-care during the COVID-19 pandemic. The authors found evidence of both negative and positive sentiments towards self-care that will be described in five major themes. For the tensions with self-care, the authors developed two primary themes: leaders eat last and keep from falling off the cliff. For the demonstrations of self-care, the authors also developed three primary themes: release the endorphins, people need people and unplug from work.

Originality/value

Although researchers have identified the stressors and reactions of principals during the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic, little is known on how principals engaged in self-care practices. This study aims to identify these self-care practices and offer recommendations for principals.

Details

Journal of Educational Administration, vol. 60 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0957-8234

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 1 November 2018

Irena Canjuga, Danica Železnik, Marijana Neuberg, Marija Božicevic and Tina Cikac

The purpose of this paper is to explore the impact of self-care on the prevalence of loneliness among elderly people living in retirement homes and older people living in their…

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Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to explore the impact of self-care on the prevalence of loneliness among elderly people living in retirement homes and older people living in their homes/communities.

Design/methodology/approach

The research was conducted through standardized SELSA-L assessment loneliness questionnaires and the Self Care Assessment Worksheet for self-care assessment. The results were processed using the Kruskal–Wallis test.

Findings

The obtained results have shown that impaired self-care ability affects the prevalence of loneliness among the elderly almost the same in both groups of participants. However, regarding the relationship between the state of health and self-care, only a statistically significant difference in the prevalence of loneliness is found in the case of the participants living in their homes, with the worst health condition affecting the poorer psychological care.

Research limitations/implications

It is necessary to point out the limitations of the research, primarily sample limitations and the selected design of the study. The sample consisted of two different and relatively small groups of participants which could adversely affect the representativeness of the sample and reduce the possibility of generalising the results. The next limiting factor is the age distribution the authors used in the research, where the age of the participants as a very important variable was collected by age range and not precisely which consequently resulted in inequality in subgroup sizes. Thus, the middle age (75–85) covers up to ten years, which is a huge range at an older age and can mean major differences in functional ability, and can impact the self-care assessment.

Practical implications

Nurses are indispensable in care for the elderly and they need to promote and encourage self-care of the elderly through health care. Elderly people living in retirement homes should be allowed to participate equally in health care in order to preserve their own autonomy and dignity. However, to benefit those who live in their homes, nurses should be connected to the local community and thus stimulate various forms of preventative (testing blood sugar levels, blood pressure and educating on the importance of preventive examinations) or recreational activities in the environment of elderly people with the goal of preserving their functional abilities.

Originality/value

The impact of self-care on loneliness was not sufficiently researched, and this paper contributed to understanding the complexity of loneliness phenomena among the elderly with the aim of developing a model of prevention.

Details

Working with Older People, vol. 22 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1366-3666

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 11 June 2018

Nastaran Mansouriyeh, Hamid Poursharifi, Mohammad Reza Taban Sadeghi and Mohammad Raze Seirafi

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the role of illness-related worries as a mediator among depression, anxiety and self-care in heart failure (HF) patients was the aim of…

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the role of illness-related worries as a mediator among depression, anxiety and self-care in heart failure (HF) patients was the aim of this study.

Design/methodology/approach

This study was descriptive and correlational study. In total, 149 patients with HF were selected for sampling in 2016. Patients completed self-care behavior scale, illness-related worries questionnaire and Depression Anxiety Stress Scale (DASS) questionnaires. The Pearson correlation coefficient and Sobel test were also done.

Findings

According to the analysis of the Sobel test, the role of illness-related worries as a mediator in the relationship between depression and self-care result was −5.37. Sobel test analysis was done to assess the role of illness-related worries as mediator between anxiety and self-care (6.66). The correlation between depression and self-care was 0.488 (p<0.01); correlation between anxiety and self-care was 0.4 (p<0.01); correlation between anxiety and depression was 0.79 (p<0.01); and the correlation between illness-related worries and self-care was 0.71 (p<0.01).

Originality/value

Illness-related worries can serve as a mediator in the relationship among depression, anxiety and self-care. There was a significant correlation among the research variables. Therefore, educational programs to reduce depression, anxiety and increase self-care should be given priority to for HF patients.

Details

Mental Health and Social Inclusion, vol. 22 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2042-8308

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 6 May 2022

Antonia J. Kaluza and Nina M. Junker

Health-oriented leadership is an emerging concept that is promising for better understanding how leaders can support employee well-being. However, there is uncertainty about the…

Abstract

Purpose

Health-oriented leadership is an emerging concept that is promising for better understanding how leaders can support employee well-being. However, there is uncertainty about the process through which health-oriented leadership relates to employee well-being. Advancing health-oriented leadership research, this study aims to examine employee self-care and the perceived team health climate as mediating mechanisms.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors conducted a time-lagged study with three measurement points (NT1 = 335, NT2 = 134, NT2 = 113) to test these mechanisms.

Findings

The results show that health-oriented leadership at Time 1 positively relates to employee self-care and perceived team health climate at Time 2, which, in turn, are negatively associated with employee exhaustion at Time 3.

Originality/value

The indirect associations suggest that health-oriented leadership relates to employee well-being via the perceived team health climate and the individuals' self-care. By revealing an important mediating mechanism, this study contributes to the health-oriented leadership literature and can help organizations and leaders improve health promotion in organizations.

Details

Journal of Managerial Psychology, vol. 37 no. 7
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0268-3946

Keywords

Open Access
Article
Publication date: 4 April 2022

Ewunetie Mekashaw Bayked, Birhanu Demeke Workneh and Mesfin Haile Kahissay

Background: Compliance of patients with self-care practices is the mainstay of measures to manage diabetes. This study explored self-care practices of type 2 diabetes patients…

Abstract

Background: Compliance of patients with self-care practices is the mainstay of measures to manage diabetes. This study explored self-care practices of type 2 diabetes patients receiving insulin treatment in North-East Ethiopia.

Methods: The study employed an interpretive phenomenological approach using purposive sampling. The data were collected from 24 (11 males and 13 females) participants (July 2019 to January 2020) using in-depth interviews till theoretical saturation. The data were analyzed thematically and organized using QDA Miner Lite v2.0.8.

Results: The findings were categorized into: labeling diabetes, self-care maintenance experiences, recognition of symptoms, and mitigating mechanisms. The self-care maintenance practice of patients was linked with diet input preferences and the effectiveness level of insulin. What guides the self-care behavior was the patients’ preferentiality of strictly adhering to their preferred dietary inputs. Barley and wheat were the most common preferential and non-preferential inputs, respectively. The patients strictly adhered to insulin treatment because they found it effective. The most common hyperglycemia symptoms to be managed by taking an additional dose of insulin, were frequent urination, increased thirst, and their consequence (dehydration). Excessive sweating (initial), shivering (middle), and falling (final), respectively in severity, were the most common symptoms of hypoglycemia which were perceived to be treated with sweet snacks.

Originality: To our knowledge, this is the first research in Ethiopia to investigate the self-care experiences of type 2 diabetes patients receiving insulin using an interpretive phenomenological approach.

Details

Emerald Open Research, vol. 1 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2631-3952

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 30 March 2021

John Øvretveit

Previously, health self-care and informal or “close-care” for family and friends were receiving increasing attention, but became more important during the COVID-2019 pandemic…

Abstract

Purpose

Previously, health self-care and informal or “close-care” for family and friends were receiving increasing attention, but became more important during the COVID-2019 pandemic. Sometimes, this was because formal services became less physically accessible to patients and were overburdened by patients ill with COVID-2019. The purpose of this paper is to give an overview of this phenomenon and consider the implications for clinical governance.

Design/methodology/approach

A five-step search and narrative review method were used, and case examples were selected to illustrate some of these developments.

Findings

Examples discovered and described include innovations in websites, social media support groups, systems for matching volunteers to people needing of help, computer and mobile phone applications, digital devices and virtual health rooms run by peer volunteers to help others to learn and use digital technologies.

Originality/value

In response to their health self-care needs not being met, some patients and carers and their associations developed new digital technologies or adapted existing ones. This use and their innovation separate from health care have been largely unreported in the scientific and professional literature. This is the first review of grey literature and other reports of this growing phenomena.

Details

International Journal of Health Governance, vol. 26 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2059-4631

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 28 October 2014

Cristiano Storni

The purpose of this paper is to raise issues about the design of personal health record systems (PHRs) and self-monitoring technology supporting self-care practices of an…

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Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to raise issues about the design of personal health record systems (PHRs) and self-monitoring technology supporting self-care practices of an increasing number of individuals dealing with the management of a chronic disease in everyday life. It discusses the results of an ethnographic study exposing to analysis the intricacies and practicalities of managing diabetes “in the wild”. It then describe and discuss the patient-centric design of a diabetes journaling platform that followed the analysis.

Design/methodology/approach

The study includes ethnometodological investigation based on in depth interviews, observations in a support group for adults with type 1 diabetes, home visits, shadowing sessions and semi-structured interviews with a series of medical experts (endocrinologists, general practitioners and diabetes nurses). Findings informed the design of a proof-of-concept PHR called Tag-it-Yourself (TiY): a mobile journaling platform that enables the personalization of self-monitoring practices. The platform is thoroughly described along with an evaluation of its use with real users.

Findings

The investigation sheds light on a series of general characters of everyday chronic self-care practices, and how they ask to re-think some of the assumptions and connotations of the current medical model and the traditional sick role of the patient – often unreflectively assumed also in the design of personal technologies (e.g. PHR) to be used by patients in clinically un-controlled settings. In particular, the analysis discusses: the ubiquitous nature of diabetes that is better seen as a lifestyle, the key role of lay expertises and different forms of knowledge developed by the patient in dealing with a disease on a daily basis, and the need of more symmetrical interactions and collaborations with the medical experts.

Research limitations/implications

Reported discussions suggest the need of a more holistic view of self-management of chronic disease in everyday life with more attention being paid on the perspective of the affected individuals. Findings have potential implications on the way PHR and systems to support self-management of chronic disease in everyday life are conceived and designed.

Practical implications

The paper suggests designers and policy makers to look at chronic disease not as a medical condition to be disciplined by a clinical perspective but rather as a complex life-style where the medical cannot be separated by other aspects of everyday life. Such shift in the perspective might suggest new forms of collaborations, new ways of creative evidence and new form of knowledge creation and validation in chronic self-care.

Social implications

The paper suggests re-thinking the role of the patient in chronic-disease self-management. In particular, it suggests giving more room to the patient voice and concerns and suggest how these can enrich rather than complicate the generation of knowledge about self-care practices, at least in type 1 diabetes.

Originality/value

The paper sheds light on everyday intricacies and practicalities of dealing with a chronic disease. Studies of self-care practices that shed light on the patient perspectives are sporadic and often assume a clinical perspective, its assumptions (e.g. biomedical knowledge is the only one available to improve health outcome, doctors know best) and implications (e.g. compliance, asymmetry between the specialist and the patient).

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