J Korean Acad Adult Nurs.  2007 Jun;19(2):318-328.

The Relations among Self-care, Symptom Experiences, and Disease Status of the Patient with Liver Cirrhosis

• Jung KS
• Min HS

Abstract

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to examine the degree of self-care, symptom experience and disease state among the patients with liver cirrhosis and to identify its correlation.
METHODS
The subjects were 220 patients with liver cirrhosis who were treated in D-university hospital in Busan. The instruments used for study were the self-care inventory, the symptom experience inventory and modified childpugh classification scale.
RESULTS
The average points of the patient's self-care performance, symptom experience, and disease status were 3.67, 29.10 and 6.12 respectively. Their self care was negatively correlated to symptom experience, and symptom experience was positively correlated to disease state.
CONCLUSION
This research findings suggested that active self-care by patients with liver cirrhosis might contribute to reduce various symptoms they can undergo and to prevent aggravation of disease state. Therefore, patients with liver cirrhosis have to carry out self care actively in daily life and discreet nursing intervention should be offered to facilitate their self-care.

Keyword

Liver cirrhosis; Self care; Symptom experience; Disease status

MeSH Terms

Busan
Classification
Humans
Liver Cirrhosis*
Liver*
Nursing
Self Care*