Purpose: To identify and analyze the definitions of self-care in the healthcare system in the evolution over time as wellas to identify the key actors of self-care.Method: We conducted a narrative review of the literature on the definition of self-care in the CINAHL, PubMed andILISI databases. The searches ranged from the first year included in each database until May 2013. In addition, a secondaryanalysis was performed on the references of articles selected to identify additional data sources. The self-care definitionswere grouped according to decades and examined in their evolution.Results: The first self-care definitions date back to the seventies, but only in the eighties self-care has been seen as a keyresource for healthcare systems. In the nineties, care activities previously considered the exclusive domain of the healthprofessions were included in this concept; and finally over the 2000s the role of health professionals in self-care is highlighted,extending the self-care activities to the psychological, social and spiritual dimensions. Self-care activities can becarried out directly by the person upon himself, delegated to others, or performed on others.Conclusions: The review has showed the large body of literature published in different disciplinary and cultural fields,which has led to the proliferation of definitions and interpretations of self-care. Italy has taken part in a marginal way tothe international debate. It would be useful that also Italian nurses did research to describe and understand.Key words: self-care, health, chronic diseases, nursing
The evolution of the concept of self-care in the healthcare system: a narrative literature review [L'evoluzione del concetto di cura di sé nell'assistenza sanitaria: una revisione narrativa della letteratura]
Matarese M;Piredda M;De Marinis MG
2015-01-01
Abstract
Purpose: To identify and analyze the definitions of self-care in the healthcare system in the evolution over time as wellas to identify the key actors of self-care.Method: We conducted a narrative review of the literature on the definition of self-care in the CINAHL, PubMed andILISI databases. The searches ranged from the first year included in each database until May 2013. In addition, a secondaryanalysis was performed on the references of articles selected to identify additional data sources. The self-care definitionswere grouped according to decades and examined in their evolution.Results: The first self-care definitions date back to the seventies, but only in the eighties self-care has been seen as a keyresource for healthcare systems. In the nineties, care activities previously considered the exclusive domain of the healthprofessions were included in this concept; and finally over the 2000s the role of health professionals in self-care is highlighted,extending the self-care activities to the psychological, social and spiritual dimensions. Self-care activities can becarried out directly by the person upon himself, delegated to others, or performed on others.Conclusions: The review has showed the large body of literature published in different disciplinary and cultural fields,which has led to the proliferation of definitions and interpretations of self-care. Italy has taken part in a marginal way tothe international debate. It would be useful that also Italian nurses did research to describe and understand.Key words: self-care, health, chronic diseases, nursingI documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
