Chronic patient activation and its relationship with health professionals in Andalusia

Abstract

Background. To evaluate the (inter)relation between chronic patient activation and its relationship with health professionals in Andalusia. Methods. Descriptive and quantitative study involving 258 chronic patients from the School of Patients, contacted by email. One hundred and forty-two answered the Patient Activation Measurement (PAM) and the chronic patient’s experience (IEXPAC) questionnaires. Statistical analyses included correlation study and comparison of means. Results. The mean of Patient Activation Measurement was 87 points (scale from 0 to 100) and IEXPAC scale was 5.3 (scale from 0 to 10), with a directly proportional relation between variables. Males and participants belonging to patients’ associations had higher levels of activation. The relationship with health professionals was better among patients with primary education and with <10 years of chronic disease. In general, medical staff received better evaluation, yet nurses were considered more prone to encouraging relationships among patients. The dimensions with higher impact on patient activation were inter-professional coordination and the attention paid to treatment and medication. Feeling confident to communicate one’s concerns had more impact on IEXPAC scale. Conclusions. The correlation observed between patient activation and its relationship with health professionals leads to the need to improve the involvement and self-management of chronic patients, as well as to strengthen improved professional coordination and patient-staff communication.