Self-care research: How to grow the evidence base?

Area of Science:

• Nursing
• Public Health
• Health Services Research

Background:

• Self-care research is expanding globally, with interventions aimed at improving patient and community outcomes.
• However, the growth of evidence is hindered by challenges in designing and testing self-care interventions.
• Addressing these methodological challenges is crucial for advancing the field.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify and address major methodological challenges in self-care research.
• To provide guidance to researchers on defining self-care, utilizing theory, and employing appropriate research designs.
• To offer recommendations for enhancing the quality and impact of self-care research.

Main Methods:

• The study identified key issues through discussions at the inaugural conference of the International Center for Self-Care Research.
• A literature review was conducted to supplement the conference discussions.
• Eight recommendations for future self-care research were developed based on these findings.

Main Results:

• Recommendations emphasize starting with a theoretically sound definition of self-care.
• Interventions should build upon previous studies and utilize translational models for development and evaluation.
• Study designs must align with research objectives, and careful measurement of self-care is essential.
• Reporting should include sufficient detail on samples and settings for generalizability.

Conclusions:

• The provided recommendations are essential for substantially growing the evidence base for self-care.
• Adopting a core set of methodological principles will foster collaboration and build upon existing research.
• Implementing these principles will lead to more robust and impactful self-care interventions.