Rheumatology patients' perceptions of patient activation and the Patient Activation Measure: a qualitative interview study

Jones, Bethan, Hunt, Andrew, Hewlett, Sarah, Harcourt, Diana and Dures, Emma 2022. Rheumatology patients' perceptions of patient activation and the Patient Activation Measure: a qualitative interview study. Musculoskeletal Care 20 (1) , pp. 74-85. 10.1002/msc.1555

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Abstract

Introduction An important aspect of self-management is patient activation (the skills, abilities and confidence someone uses to actively manage their health). The dominant method of capturing patient activation is the Patient Activation Measure (PAM) which has been integrated into many aspects of clinical practice in musculoskeletal care. However, limited research has investigated how rheumatology patients understand and perform patient activation, and how closely their perceptions align with the PAM. Methods Seventeen patients from two rheumatology departments in South West England participated in semi-structured interviews at two timepoints. They discussed how they actively managed their health and their views on the PAM. Data on activation were analysed using framework analysis and data on the PAM were analysed using content analysis. Results Participants self-managed with determination, finding ways to make small, sustainable behaviour changes and effectively navigate the healthcare system. They reported the value of knowing what self-management techniques suited them individually and reported benefitting from positive perceptions of their own health and good social support. Participants noted that the PAM did not always capture the fluctuating nature of their inflammatory arthritis and the collaborative nature of healthcare. Conclusions Patients' perceptions and experiences of patient activation covered a wide range of skills, behaviours and beliefs. However, these are not always captured by the PAM. Therefore, its use as a clinical tool is best accompanied by dialogue with patients to understand their self-management.

Item Type:	Article
Date Type:	Publication
Status:	Published
Schools:	Healthcare Sciences
Additional Information:	This is an open access article under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License
Publisher:	John Wiley and Sons
ISSN:	1478-2189
Funders:	Versus Arthritis
Date of First Compliant Deposit:	11 October 2021
Date of Acceptance:	6 March 2021
Last Modified:	04 May 2023 18:29
URI:	https://orca.cardiff.ac.uk/id/eprint/144781

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