The relationship between disease adaptation and disease management self-efficacy of individuals with multiple chronic diseases

Multiple chronic diseases are a global problem today. This emerging problem negatively affects society, especially individuals. This study conducted to examine the relationship between disease adaptation and disease management self-efficacy of individuals with multiple chronic diseases. This descriptive and correlational study was conducted between 01-31 December 2022 in the internal clinics of Necmettin Erbakan University Medical Faculty Hospital in Konya. The study population consisted of individuals with multiple chronic diseases hospitalised in Necmettin Erbakan University Medical Faculty Hospital, and the sample consisted of 230 patients who met the criteria for inclusion in the study. The Patient Information Form, Chronic Disease Adaptation Assessment Scale, and Self-Efficacy for Managing Chronic Disease 6-Item Scale were used to collect data. To analysis the data, Mann Whitney U test, Kruskal Wallis H test and Dunn test were used and descriptive statistics. Linear regression analysis was used to analyse the factors affecting the 6-item self-efficacy scale score for chronic disease management. Analysis results were presented as mean ± standard deviation and median (minimum-maximum) for quantitative data and as frequency and percentage for categorical data. It was determined that 64.8% of the patients were women, 83% were married, 71.7% were primary school graduates, 60.4% lived in the city center, and 87.8% did not work in any job. In our study, the mean level of compliance with chronic diseases was 62.48±9.81; The mean self-efficacy level was found to be 4.58 ± 2.01. As a result of the study, it was found that the adaptation level of individuals with multiple chronic diseases was above the average; It was found that those who are married, those with a high level of education, those who work, those who have a job, those who have a good income, those who live in a large family and in the town, and those who have two chronic diseases, have higher adaptation to chronic disease. A significant correlation was found between the total scores of adherence to chronic diseases and self-efficacy levels. It was determined that as the participants' psychological adjustment to chronic diseases increased, their self-efficacy levels increased. It was determined that as the number of drugs used increased, the psychological and behavioral self-efficacy levels decreased. As a result, as individuals' adaptation levels to chronic diseases increase, their chronic disease management self-efficacy levels increase. It is recommended to plan adaptation programs and trainings on disease processes under the leadership of training nurses for individuals with a high number of diseases.