Exploring associations between older adults' demographic characteristics and their perceptions of self-care actions for communicating with healthcare professionals in southern United States.

AIMS: This study examined associations between older adults' demographic factors and their perceived importance of, desire to and ability to perform seven self-care behaviours for communicating with healthcare professionals. DESIGN: This cross-sectional survey study analysed subset data of 123 older adults 65 years and older, living in southern United States. METHODS: The Patient Action Inventory for Self-Care (57 items, grouped into 11 categories) was used to collect self-reported self-care data. Demographic characteristics were also collected. Descriptive statistics and logistic regression analyses were used to tests for relationships between the variables relevant to the research objective. RESULTS: Regression findings showed that separated older adults felt less able to share ideas about their healthcare experiences compared to married older adults. Male older adults reported less desire to list issues to discuss and less desire to share ideas about their care experience with their healthcare professionals compared to their female counterparts.

Do patients' demographic characteristics affect their perceptions of self-care actions to find safe and decent care?

AIM(S): This exploratory study examined the relationship of five patient demographic characteristics (residence in an urban or rural site, gender, age group, marital status, and education level) with the patients' (1) perceived importance of, (2) desire to, (3) ability to perform four patient engagement self-care actions that result in finding safe and decent care. BACKGROUND: Equitable access to health care is essential in a humanized health care system. Healthcare providers must engage patients in discussions about their desires for their care to create person-centered care plans reflecting patient values and wishes. METHODS: This secondary data analysis from a cross-sectional survey project surveyed community-dwelling adults living in the southern United States, 2015-2016. This paper only includes responses of participants aged 65 years and older (N = 123). Data collected in The Patient Action Inventory for Self-Care and demographic questions were used. Chi-square tests and multiple logistic regression analyses were used. RESULTS: As revealed in the Chi-square and logistic regression findings, self-care actions of "finding a doctor or practitioner who meets your needs," "using available information to choose a doctor or practitioner," and "using data to choose a hospital or clinic" showed some associations with whether seniors resided in an urban or rural community, age group, and marital status (P < 0.05). No significant associations between these four self-care actions with gender or education were found. CONCLUSIONS: A community-based solution is warranted to leverage between patient demographic characteristics and their perceived self-care actions by harnessing local factors in collaboration with identified patient needs.