The effects of knowledge and self-management of patients with early-stage chronic kidney disease: Self-efficacy is a mediator.

AIM

The purpose of this study is to investigate the relationship among knowledge, self-efficacy, and self-management of patients with early-stage chronic kidney disease (ESCKD).

METHODS

This is a cross-sectional correlational study design. This study used purposive sampling to enroll a total of 130 patients with ESCKD. The research instruments included Chronic Kidney Disease Self-Care Knowledge Scale, Chronic Kidney Disease Self-Efficacy Instrument, Chronic Kidney Disease Self-Management Scale, and so on. This study used the statistical software SPSS 20.0 to perform statistical analyses, such as descriptive statistical analysis, independent samples t test, one-way analysis of variance, Pearson product-moment correlation coefficient analysis, and multiple hierarchical regression analysis.

RESULTS

The knowledge of patients with early kidney disease was moderate (55.10%), self-efficacy was moderate (54.44%), and self-management was moderate (61.11%). The disease knowledge and self-efficacy (r = .59, p < .01) were significantly positively correlated with self-management (r = .50, p < .01); the intervening effect of self-efficacy on self-management (z = 4.58, p < .001) reached statistically significant difference. Self-efficacy was the most significant predictor for self-management and explained 49% of the total variance.

CONCLUSIONS

This study suggested that self-efficacy was a mediator and predictor for self-management. The research results may serve as reference for related administrative authorities or medical personnel to develop self-efficacy strategies with theoretical basis, as well as appropriate self-efficacy improvement schemes, to transform the methods for enhancing disease knowledge to improve the intervention with self-efficacy language or method and increase patients' disease self-management.