Concept analysis of empowerment in old people with chronic diseases using a hybrid model

The purpose of this study was to clarify the meaning and the nature of empowerment concept in some Iranian old people suffering from chronic diseases.

Concept analysis was undertaken according to the hybrid model, which consists of three phases: an initial theoretical phase, a fieldwork phase and a final analytical phase. After an extensive review of the literature in order to describe the characteristics and definition of the concept, a fieldwork phase followed in order to empirically elucidate the empowerment concept in the Iranian old people with chronic diseases. In the third phase, attributes of empowerment were extracted from the first and second phases. Purposive sampling was done for 13 participants consisted of 7 old people with chronic diseases, 3 family caregivers of elderly adult with chronic disease and 3 health care providers with experience of care with elderly patients with chronic disease.

The review of literature in theoretical phase determined the attributes of the concept, including "active participation", "informed change", "knowledge to problem solve", "self-care responsibility", "presence of client competency", and "control of health or life". Fieldwork phase determined attributes such as "awareness promotion", "sense of control", "the development of personal abilities", "autonomy", and "coping". In the final analytical phase, the critical attributes of old people with chronic diseases were investigated. They included "social participation", "informed change", "awareness promotion to problem solve", "presence of client competency", and "control of health or life", "autonomy", "coping" and "the development of personal abilities".

The concept analysis of empowerment showed some of the required conditions for the empowerment of older people with chronic diseases in nursing care, which have not been mentioned in the literature.