Os perfis de autocuidado dos clientes dependentes
: estudo exploratório numa unidade de saúde familiar

  • Eduarda Maria Ferreira Sequeira (Student)

Student thesis: Master's Thesis

Abstract

Self-Care is an area with great relevance for nursing. In situations that the clients experiment transitions which involve self-care commitments, it is important to consider, within the personal constraints that may influence one’s development, the profiles and attitudes about clients’ self-care. The concept of "self-care profile” is a result from each client’s biography and life experiences. Theoretically, there are four self-care profiles: "Responsible" profile; "Formally guided" profile; "Independent" profile and "Abandoned" profile. By recognizing the importance of this term for the understanding and therapeutic approach to customers, the authors have developed an instrument - SCHDE – which is able “to describe” the self-care profile. The study presented here, based on that instrument and on the theory that supports him, describes the self-care profiles of a group of clients enrolled in Valadares’ Family Health Units. This study is quantitative, descriptive and transversal, based on a non-probabilistic convenience sample, composed by 112 individuals reporting dependence in basic self-care activities. The Cronbach's alpha value obtained for the original instrument was 0,75, value we considered acceptable. The statistic result of Cronbach’s alpha from the instrument in our study (isolated) is 0.63, a value which implies great caution when analysing the results. The level of dependency in self-care (Feeding, Bathing, Dressing ...) was calculated based on the "Instrument for Evaluating Dependence in Self Care", developed by ESEP and first used by Duke. The statistic value of Cronbach's alpha for this instrument is approximately 0.9. The results obtained allow us to say that, as in both previous studies, the majority of participants showed specific self-care profiles marked by the presence of a blend of characteristics from different (theoretical) profiles. The number of participants with profiles exclusively or predominantly of one of the four profiles is quite small; of around 10% of the sample. The process of factor analysis undertaken, based on data that resulted from the assessment of self-care profiles, allowed us to identify a panel of 12 factors. From these, it was possible to verify the existence of a set positively associated with the responsible self-care profile, namely: stimulant ageing; meaningful interpersonal relationships, good physical condition, confidence in healthcare professionals, decision-making and responsibility capacities.
Date of AwardMay 2012
Original languagePortuguese
Awarding Institution
  • Universidade Católica Portuguesa
SupervisorFilipe Miguel Soares Pereira (Supervisor) & Maria Alice Correia de Brito (Co-Supervisor)

Keywords

  • Self care
  • Self care profile

Designation

  • Mestrado em Enfermagem

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