Self-management A concept analysis of self-management for cancer patients’ home-basedrehabilitation

Objective: To explore and clarify the concept of self-management in the context of cancer patients’ home-based rehabilitation. This concept analysis will provide a theoretical lens for nurses to help cancer patients to develop self-management strategies and enables them to improve their ability in symptom self-management of home-based rehabilitation. Method: Walker and Avant’s framework (2011) was used to analyse the concept of self-management. Results: Self-management is defined as a dynamic process that involves perception of one’s needs, resource utilisation, problem solving and active participation. Antecedents of self-management include self-efficacy, disease knowledge and social support. Improving cancer patients’ ability in symptom self-management can improve their health outcomes and quality of life and reduce healthcare expenditures. Although Strategy and Effectiveness of Symptom Self-Management scale is perceived as an ideal instrument to measure self-management and thus it is used worldwide, whether this instrument fits to measure this concept for cancer patients in Chinese context has still not yet been verified and thus further research is needed. Conclusion: According to the concept analysis, nurses should encourage cancer patients to involve actively in making a home-based rehabilitation plan and promote their ability in symptom self-management of home-based rehabilitation so as to improve their health outcomes and reduce healthcare expenditures.