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Australian Journal of Primary Health Australian Journal of Primary Health Society
The issues influencing community health services and primary health care
RESEARCH ARTICLE

A shared journey: evaluating a patient-assessed measure of self-management of chronic conditions in an Australian setting

Phillip Davis A B * , Joanne Bradbury C , Kirstine Shrubsole C D and John Parke B
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations

A Faculty of Health Southern Cross University, East Lismore, NSW, Australia.

B QEII Jubilee Hospital, Brisbane, Qld, Australia.

C Faculty of Health Southern Cross University, Gold Coast, Qld, Australia.

D Princess Alexandra Hospital, Brisbane, Qld, Australia.

* Correspondence to: Phillip.davis@health.qld.gov.au

Australian Journal of Primary Health 30, PY24003 https://doi.org/10.1071/PY24003
Submitted: 29 August 2023  Accepted: 5 September 2024  Published: 26 September 2024

© 2024 The Author(s) (or their employer(s)). Published by CSIRO Publishing on behalf of La Trobe University

Abstract

Background

Patient Assessment of Care in Chronic Conditions (PACIC+), included in some Australian guidelines, has been shown reliable for measuring patient engagement and perception of their care in primary care settings. Various studies have focussed on PACIC+ use in specific conditions. This study aims to expand PACIC+ to measure patient empowerment to self-manage their chronic condition and validate it in the broader Australian primary care population. This study aims to evaluate internal consistency and reliability of PACIC+ and six new supplementary items proposed to assess patient wellbeing and empowerment to self-manage their chronic condition.

Methods

A repeated-measures correlation design study assessed the expanded PACIC+ over three time-points. Particpants were patients with at least one chronic disease, referred by consultant physician, or recruited by advertisement posters in hospital clinic areas.

Results

PACIC+ (26-item) had acceptable internal consitency (Cronbach’s alpha 0.96). Test–retest reliability (Time-1 and 2, P < 0.01) was acceptable: Total score r(48) = 0.43; and New supplementary items: Confidence r(48) = 0.54; Understanding r(48) = 0.62; Support r(48) = 0.43; Overall Health r(48) = 0.42; Overall Health Change r(48) = −0.31, P = 0.03; and Acute Episodes of Care in 1-month r(48) = 0.42, P < 0.01. Four factors from the original PACIC+ accounted for 66.5% of the variance.

Conclusions

The expanded PACIC+ is an improved psychometric tool providing for the patient’s voice in a shared health journey. It is a valid, reliable tool to monitor and measure self-management of chronic conditions in Australian population clinic and primary healthcare settings.

Keywords: bootstrapping, chronic care model, chronic illness, PACIC+, patient activation, patient empowerment, self-efficacy, self-management.

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