Enablers of Patient Knowledge Empowerment for Self-Management of Chronic Disease: An Integrative Review

Abstract

The non-development of the concept of patient knowledge empowerment for disease self-management and the non-development of the theory of patient knowledge empowerment in patients with chronic diseases, cause methodological inconsistency of patient empowerment theory and does not provide a methodological basis to present patient knowledge empowerment preconditions. Therefore, the aim of the present integrative review was to synthesize and critically analyze the patient knowledge enablers distinguished in the public health management theory, the knowledge sharing enablers presented in the knowledge management theory and to integrate them by providing a comprehensive framework of patient knowledge enablers. To implement the purpose of the study, in answering the study question of what patient knowledge empowerments are and across which levels of patient knowledge empowerment they operate, an integrative review approach was applied as proposed by Cronin and George. A screening process resulted in a final sample of 78 papers published in open access, peer-review journals in the fields of public health management and knowledge management theories. Based on the results of the study, the Enablers of Patient Knowledge Empowerment for Self-Management of Chronic Disease Framework was created. It revealed that it is important to look at patient knowledge empowerment as a pathway across the empowerment levels through which both knowledge enablers identified in public health management theory and knowledge sharing enablers singled out in knowledge management theory operate. The integration of these two perspectives across patient empowerment levels uncovers a holistic framework for patient knowledge empowerment.

Foresight study on online health community: The perspective of knowledge empowerment for patients with chronic diseases

“…On this basis, the interactive element of patient empowerment begins to emerge to shift the present knowledge and cognitive abilities to a community of patients suffering from the same chronic disease via mediating structures which can be informal patient organisations/groups like OHCs. 44 After patients are empowered via mediating structures, patient empowerment develops into a macro-empowerment stage where mediating structures take the form of community organisations, 45 grounded on the expertise of empowered patients according to which the social conditions of patients are created and altered. Thus, the OHC affects patients who are at the micro stage of patient empowerment and are empowered through mediating structures, with the potential to be empowered to manage a chronic disease at the macro stage.…”

“…The patient's confidence is boosted so that they can objectively evaluate their knowledge and cognitive abilities related to health literacy. On this basis, the interactive element of patient empowerment begins to emerge to shift the present knowledge and cognitive abilities to a community of patients suffering from the same chronic disease via mediating structures which can be informal patient organisations/groups like OHCs 44 . After patients are empowered via mediating structures, patient empowerment develops into a macro‐empowerment stage where mediating structures take the form of community organisations, 45 grounded on the expertise of empowered patients according to which the social conditions of patients are created and altered.…”

Empowerment in chronic disease management: a mixed study approach

“…Although empowering patients for disease selfmanagement is a complex goal that also has a positive effect on the patient's well-being, health and quality of life (5) . To achieve the results of client empowerment in the chronic illness it is important to create preconditions for client empowerment for disease self-management (7) . The self care is the key to a successful outcome in Chronic`s management illness (8) .…”

Empowering Patients in the Therapeutic Decision-Making Process: A Glance Into Behçet's Syndrome

“…Several elements have been reported so far as being fundamental to the patient empowerment and among them, patients' awareness of their role in the care process, the need for adequate knowledge enabling the engagement with the healthcare provider, the acquisition of specific skills and the existence of a facilitating environment definitely represent the mainstay of the empowerment process. Patients' empowerment means above all enablement, therefore patients and caregivers have to right to know, to be motivated, responsible and enabled to be part of the care process, also when the process involves research activities and medicine development (2)(3)(4). Independently from its specific field of application, health policy makers should support and address this essential need, both if patient empowerment represents a goal to be reached and when it is adopted as a specific approach.…”