Exploring self-management strategies for people with degenerative spine disease: An interpretative descriptive study
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.51867/ajernet.7.4.20Keywords:
Chronic Pain, Degenerative Spine Disease, Healthcare Provider, Self-ManagementAbstract
Degenerative Spine Disease (DSD) is a progressive, chronic condition characterised by deterioration of spinal tissues. Although DSD is a wear-and-tear condition associated with ageing, it has become increasingly common among the younger population in recent years. Despite its incidence, lived experiences of people with DSD, specifically in the Zambian setting, remain uninvestigated. Research objective(s): The study aimed to explore lived experiences of people with DSD and the self-management strategies employed in order to establish evidence for both home and clinical care. Methods: The study used a qualitative Interpretative Descriptive design and included 12 participants aged between 23 and 49 years. Participant selection was through purposeful sampling. Data were collected through face-to-face semi-structured interviews and analysed using inductive thematic analysis with NVivo software version 12. Key findings included narratives on the impact of DSD on individuals and the self-management strategies developed. The study identified multifactorial symptoms across different facets of one’s life. The struggles sufferers go through are not only with their clinical symptoms but also with those involving society and the work environment. Consequently, self-management involved their own unique context. These self-management strategies included using home-based pain-relief equipment, pacing activity, resting, adjusting postures, bracing, and managing diet. Conclusion: The study established the impact of DSD on individuals and reported on condition-specific self-management strategies sufferers developed over time, the knowledge that can be used in clinical practice to improve patients' symptoms and quality of life. Further, the results contribute to the body of research and form a foundation for further research on chronic conditions and patient management, particularly in developing countries like Zambia. Practical Recommendation: The knowledge gained could inform and form part of the evidence for developing a standardised self-management model for people with DSD.
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