Self‐efficacy associated with self‐management behaviours and health status of South Koreans with chronic diseases

Yoo H, Kim CJ, Jang Y, You M‐A. International Journal of Nursing Practice 2011; 17 : 599–606 Self‐efficacy associated with self‐management behaviours and health status of South Koreans with chronic diseases Although prior research in Western societies has revealed an association between self‐efficacy and both self‐management behaviours and better health status, little is known about the applicability of this association in Korean populations. We examined the differences in self‐management behaviours and health status among three groups according to the level of self‐efficacy (high, moderate and low). We used a descriptive and correlational design, and administrated a questionnaire to 322 Korean patients with diabetes mellitus, hypertension or arthritis at three ambulatory clinics in a university medical centre. We performed the Pearson chi‐square test to test for differences in proportions, and the Kruskall–Wallis and Mann–Whitney U ‐tests for non‐parametric measures. The level of self‐efficacy was associated with self‐management behaviours ( P < 0.05) and with better health status indices ( P < 0.001) except fatigue ( P < 0.277). The mean age (Mean ± standard deviation, 53.71 ± 12.60), the percentage of high level of education (62.4%) and the level of employment (51.4%) were significantly higher in high self‐efficacy group than in low self‐efficacy group or moderate self‐efficacy group. Further study of the potential factors affecting any relationship between self‐efficacy and fatigue is recommended. Self‐efficacy‐enhancing interventions can be beneficial for Korean chronic patients to improve their self‐management behaviours and health status.