Banafshi Zhina, Dehghan Nayeri Nahid, Moghimi Nasrin, Khatony Alireza
Student Research Committee, Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences, Kermanshah, Iran.
Nursing and Midwifery Care Research Center, School of Nursing and Midwifery, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
Sci Rep. 2025 Aug 26;15(1):31430. doi: 10.1038/s41598-025-15928-3.
Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic inflammatory disease that requires ongoing management, and self-care plays a crucial role in improving patient outcomes. However, understanding patients' experiences with self-care, its meaning for them, and the barriers they face requires further exploration. This study aimed to explore these experiences, gain insight into patients' perceptions of self-care, and identify the challenges they face in managing their condition. This qualitative study employed a conventional content analysis approach. Using purposive sampling, 15 Iranian patients with RA residing in Sanandaj, a city in western Iran, were recruited. Data were collected through in-depth, semi-structured, face-to-face interviews. MAXQDA 2020 was utilized for data management. Patients' experiences regarding self-care were categorized into five main categories and 26 sub-categories. The main themes included active self-management, challenges and deterrents to self-care, empowering resources for self-care, self-care needs and demands, and emotional paradoxes in self-care. The findings revealed that persons with RA have complex and diverse experiences and needs regarding self-care, facing numerous challenges and Deterrents, and emotional paradoxes in this process. Addressing these barriers, needs, and emotional paradoxes and strengthening facilitators can significantly enhance patients' self-care abilities and improve their quality of life. These insights can also guide the design of effective educational and support programs tailored to this patient population.
类风湿性关节炎（RA）是一种需要持续管理的慢性炎症性疾病，自我护理在改善患者预后方面起着至关重要的作用。然而，了解患者的自我护理经历、其对患者的意义以及他们所面临的障碍仍需进一步探索。本研究旨在探究这些经历，深入了解患者对自我护理的认知，并确定他们在管理自身病情时所面临的挑战。这项定性研究采用了传统的内容分析法。通过目的抽样，招募了15名居住在伊朗西部城市萨南达季的伊朗类风湿性关节炎患者。数据通过深入、半结构化的面对面访谈收集。使用MAXQDA 2020进行数据管理。患者的自我护理经历被分为五个主要类别和26个子类别。主要主题包括积极的自我管理、自我护理的挑战和阻碍、自我护理的赋能资源、自我护理的需求以及自我护理中的情感矛盾。研究结果表明，类风湿性关节炎患者在自我护理方面有复杂多样的经历和需求，在此过程中面临诸多挑战、阻碍和情感矛盾。解决这些障碍、需求和情感矛盾并加强促进因素，可显著提高患者的自我护理能力，改善其生活质量。这些见解还可为针对该患者群体设计有效的教育和支持项目提供指导。
