Older Adults With Multiple Chronic Conditions Have Access to Self-Care and Best Practice Information From the Libraries

Initial Idea Chosen: Self-care and Best Practice Information Access by Multiple Chronic Conditions Older Adults Patients

Older adults with Multiple Chronic Conditions (MCC) face complex challenges, mainly due to the complexity of their healthcare regimens. In addition, these seniors face significant barriers to self-care resulting from physical, cognitive, and mental impairments accompanying their conditions. Therefore, access to relevant and trustworthy information is critical to help this population optimize their self-care to mitigate the effects of MCC. For these reasons, this final project research focuses on exploring older adults’ access to self-care and best practice information from the libraries. The study will examine the library’s role in providing useful information to older adults with MCC to improve their self-care. Research articles, such as those by De Maria et al. (2022), LeBlanc et al. (2022), and Jin et al. (2022), explore the importance and effectiveness of self-care for older adults with chronic conditions; therefore, libraries can play an essential role in providing relevant and reliable information to promote self-care among this group.

This project will target older adults aged 65 and older living in the United States and Canada, focusing on seniors with MCC, such as diabetes, heart disease, hypertension, and cancer. This population is expected to grow in the coming years due to aging demographic trends, hence the need for better information access to promote self-care. The information service that will be examined in the study will be existing services and resources provided by libraries, such as online and print materials and specialized programs specifically designed for older adults with MCC.

The focus of the study will be to examine the extent to which older adults with MCC use library resources and services to access self-care information. Various aspects of accessing library services will be examined, including the ease of use and convenience of access to library services and the effectiveness and relevance of the information provided to support self-care behaviors. Moreover, the study will explore the barriers that prevent older adults with MCC from accessing library services and suggest recommendations for service improvements.

Older adults with multiple chronic conditions (MCC) often experience challenges in accessing self-care information and implementing best practice guidelines. A qualitative descriptive study by De Maria et al. (2022) found that during the COVID-19 pandemic, patients with MCC and their caregivers faced difficulties in maintaining self-care practices, such as exercise and medication adherence, and dietary modifications. Similarly, in a mixed-methods study of older adults living with long-term conditions, LeBlanc et al. (2022) discovered that social relationships significantly influenced their self-care behaviors and health outcomes.

To address these challenges, it is important to understand the information behavior models that underpin the search and use of self-care and best practice information. The Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) suggests that individual perceptions of technology’s usefulness and ease of use determine their intention to use it (Davis, 1989). By extension, this model can be applied to searching and using online resources, such as library databases, for accessing self-care information. Wilson’s model of information behavior (Wilson, 2000) highlights that information-seeking is a dynamic process influenced by individual characteristics, context, and the task at hand. The model emphasizes the importance of external factors, such as feedback and support, in shaping information-seeking behavior.

A multi-methods or mixed-methods approach can capture the complexity of self-care information behavior among older adults with MCC. This involves using two or more quantitative or qualitative methods to better understand the research problem (Creswell & Plano Clark, 2017). For example, a mixed-methods study could use surveys to assess the level of technology acceptance among older adults with MCC and qualitative interviews to explore their perceptions and experiences of accessing self-care information from libraries. This approach can provide a richer and more nuanced understanding of the factors influencing self-care information behavior among this population, enabling tailored interventions to address their specific needs.

In conclusion, older adults with MCC face challenges accessing self-care information and implementing best practice guidelines. Understanding the information behavior models that underpin their search and use of information can inform the development of interventions that better support their self-care practices. A multi-methods or mixed-methods approach effectively explores this complex issue, providing a more holistic understanding of the factors that influence self-care information behavior among older adults with MCC. The proposed study investigates the library’s effectiveness in providing information to support self-care behaviors for older adults with MCC. This study will benefit these seniors by improving their access to relevant information, ultimately helping them to optimize their self-care behaviors. This study will also help the libraries understand this particular population’s needs better and implement strategies and services to promote self-care effectively.

References

Creswell, J. W., & Plano Clark, V. L. (2017). Designing and conducting mixed methods research. Sage publications.

Davis, F. D. (1989). Perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, and user acceptance of information technology. MIS Quarterly, 13(3), 319–340.

De Maria, M., Ferro, F., Vellone, E., Ausili, D., Luciani, M., & Matarese, M. (2022). Self‐care of patients with multiple chronic conditions and their caregivers during the COVID‐19 pandemic: A qualitative descriptive study. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 78(5), 1431-1447.

De Maria, M., Ferro, F., Vellone, E., Ausili, D., Luciani, M., & Matarese, M. (2022). Self-care of patients with multiple chronic conditions and their caregivers during the COVID-19 pandemic: A qualitative descriptive study. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 78(5), 1431-1447.

Jin, Y., Bhattarai, M., Kuo, W. C., & Bratzke, L. C. (2022). Relationship between resilience and self‐care in people with chronic conditions: A systematic review and meta‐analysis. Journal of Clinical Nursing.

LeBlanc, R. G., Chiodo, L., & Jacelon, C. S. (2022). Social relationship influence on self‐care and health among older people living with long term conditions: A mixed‐methods study. International Journal of Older People Nursing, 17(4), e12450.

LeBlanc, R. G., Chiodo, L., & Jacelon, C. S. (2022). Social relationship influence on self-care and health among older people living with long term conditions: A mixed-methods study. International Journal of Older People Nursing, 17(4), e12450.