Abstract
We examined the personal models of osteoarthritis (OA) of 61 patients over 60 years of age. Models were elicited using a structured interview. Shared beliefs included perceiving OA as a serious, painful, chronic, and incurable condition that can be managed by recommended medical treatment. Considerable individual differences were found on six personal-model constructs: Symptoms, Seriousness, Cause, Control, Helpfulness of Treatment, and Negative Feelings about Treatment. The constructs of Symptoms and Seriousness were consistently related to a variety of important outcomes. For example, participants with higher scores on Symptoms and Seriousness reported higher levels of self-management (both concurrently and prospectively), reported more utilization of medical services, and experienced a poorer quality of life. The implications for the design of health-education materials and for patient-provider interactions are discussed.
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Hampson, S.E., Glasgow, R.E. & Zeiss, A.M. Personal models of osteoarthritis and their relation to self-management activities and quality of life. J Behav Med 17, 143–158 (1994). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01858102
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01858102