Validation of the braden self-help model in women with systemic lupus erythematosus

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is an autoimmune disease that requires lifelong follow-up treatment. Most SLE patients experience feelings of helplessness and frustration in the period after which the condition has been brought under control but not yet cured. Thus, to improve the SLE patient's quality of life (QOL), it is very important to assist them to adjust to face both the severity of their disease and their own feelings of limitation and uncertainty, to understand their condition and required treatments, and to adopt self-help strategies to adjust to difficulties in daily life.

This study was designed to test both the hypothesized relationships in the Braden Self-help Model and the mediating effects of self-help on QOL in a sample of women with SLE.

A cross-sectional design with causal modeling approach was used to verify specified relationships in the theoretical model. SLE patients who were registered with the Rainbow SLE Association and the Lupus SLE Foundation in Taiwan were recruited as participants by convenience sampling. A total of 231 SLE patients participated in this project. Data were collected using a self-administered structured questionnaire consisting of a personal information section, the Disease Course Graphic Scale, the Mishel Uncertainty in Illness Scale, the Limitation Scale, the Self-Control Scale, the Adult Role and Behavior Scale, and the Well-Being Scale.

Path analysis found a high level of significance for the coefficient of each path. We also identified a positive correlation between the disease severity and limitations and the factor of uncertainty and a negative correlation between the limitations and uncertainty and the factors of enabling skills, self-help, and QOL. A positive correlation among enabling skills, self-help, and QOL was also evident. The Sobel analysis pointed to self-help as having the greatest impact on QOL (79.15%).

The study examined the applicability of the causal Braden Self-help Model on women with SLE and provides a basis for the design of intervention activities.