ILLNESS BEHAVIOR IN PATIENTS WITH RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS

主要目的是建立有关疾病行为的基线数据 (i.e.,预诊断过程中的认识障碍、求助 行为和症状验证）的患者， 条件：类风湿性关节炎（RA）。 虽然人们早就认识到 在急性条件下的疾病行为描述可能不适用于 慢性疾病，很少有实证工作已经进行了文件 在这个过程中的差异，并描绘这些影响 护理实践或理论的差异。 该研究的具体目的是确定：（1）RA患者如何 解释初始症状;（2）关于初始症状的非专业顾问 症状和顾问的有效或无效性质 （3）患者咨询的卫生专业人员和 确认或确认其反应的性质;（4）患者的 对咨询师回答的情绪反应;（5）平均时间长度 在第一次出现症状和建立 诊断;和（6）患者的情绪反应，以接受准确的 诊断. 样本将是50名被诊断为患有 在过去的两年内。 主要数据收集工具将 是一个半结构化的面试时间表，包括13个开放式的 关注患者对初始症状的解释， 他们的行动和相互作用，以应对这些症状期间， 诊断前阶段。 人口统计学数据和疾病分期相关数据， 类，也将获得治疗。 主要数据分析 方法将是内容分析，虽然描述性统计也将 被利用 从这项研究中获得的数据将允许对以下方面的影响进行描述： 实践和疾病行为理论。 首先，如果人类在 可以指定RA的患病行为期，执业护士可以 采取适合这些反应的治疗措施。 二是这些 数据可能对传统的疾病模型有理论意义 有可能演化出一种疾病行为模型的行为 具体到慢性病。

The primary purpose is to establish baseline data regarding illnes behavior (i.e., the prediagnosis process of symptom-recognition, help-seeking behavior, and symptom validation) in patients with a prevalent chronic condition: rheumatoid arthritis (RA). While it has long been recognized that descriptions of illness behvior in acute conditions may not apply to chronic diseases, little empirical work has been conducted to document differences in this process and to delineate implications of these differences for nursing practice or theory. The study's specific aims are to determine: (1) how patients with RA interpret initial symptoms; (2) lay consultants used regarding initial symptoms and the validating or invalidating nature of consultants' responses; (3) health professionals with whom patients consult and the validating or ivalidating nature of their responses; (4) patients' emotional reactions to consultants' responses; (5) average length of time elapsing between first experience of symptoms and establishment of diagnosis; and (6) patients' emotional responses to receiving an accurate diagnosis. The sample will be 50 adult female patients diagnosed as having RA within the past two years. The primary data collection instrument will be a semi-structured interview schedule consisting of thirteen open-ended questions focusing on patients' interpretation of initial symptoms and their actions and interactions in response to these symptoms during the prediagnosis period. Demographic data and data regarding disease stage, class, and treatment also will be obtained. The primary data analysis method will be content analysis although descriptive statistics also will be used. Data obtained from this study will permit delineationn of implications for both practice and illness behavior theory. First if human responses in the illness behavior period in RA can be specified, practicing nurses can employ therapeutic measures appropriate to these responses. Second, these data may have theoretical implications for traditional models of illness behavior with the potential of evolving a model of illness behavior specific to chronic illness.