Why older persons seek nursing care: towards a conceptual model

Area of Science:

• Gerontology
• Nursing Science
• Health Behavior Research

Background:

• Older adults often face similar health issues but display diverse care-seeking behaviors.
• Understanding the motivations behind these behaviors is crucial for effective healthcare delivery.
• Existing literature lacks a comprehensive theoretical framework for older persons' nursing care seeking attitudes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify the underlying motives influencing older adults' attitudes toward seeking nursing care.
• To develop a theoretical rationale explaining the interaction of factors affecting care-seeking behavior.
• To provide a foundation for culture-specific investigations into elderly care-seeking.

Main Methods:

• Utilized Walker and Avant's theory development methodology.
• Conducted a comprehensive review of existing literature on care-seeking behaviors in older adults.
• Identified key categories influencing the decision to seek nursing care.

Main Results:

• Six influential categories were identified: perceived threat, disposition, external options and barriers, current coping abilities, influence of significant others, and outcome value.
• The study generated a conceptual model, not predictive factors, for understanding care-seeking attitudes.
• The model offers a framework for future culture-specific research.

Conclusions:

• The developed conceptual model provides a structured approach to investigate older adults' nursing care seeking behaviors.
• Further qualitative studies are recommended to refine the model and develop testable theories for diverse cultural contexts.
• This research highlights the complexity of factors influencing elderly individuals' decisions to seek professional nursing care.