Long-term Illnesses Flashcards
What is the definition of a long-term health condition?
A disease of long duration and slow progression (WHO, 2004)
What are 4 potential impacts of LTC for the individual
-Complex medical regimes
-financial difficulties - may have to leave their job
-Social isolation from family / friends
-Stigma of conditions (Ie AIDS)
Negative consequences of LTC can include…
And what impact can this have on the individual and those close to them?
Fear, Frustration
Low self-esteem
Difficulty dealing with symptoms
Can result in mental health issues such as depression and anxiety ect. These feelings can also result in the same for friends/ family / partners.
Important to look after those close to the patient as could also have a further impact on patients well-being
Name 2 LTC
CHD (coronary heart disease)
-build-up of fatty material in the coronary artery, which causes blood clots and decreased oxygen to the heart.
COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) is caused by long-term smoking and exposure to pollution. Can be impacted by anxiety.
What is the biopsychosocial perspective of LTC
Social and psychological factors impact biological health vis versa
Chronic conditions should be open to preventative measures.
Name 3 social + environmental RISK FACTORS for LTC
1) Inadequate sleep
2) Poor Diet
3) Alcohol and drugs
Name some environmental and social factors
-income
-physical
-living conditions
-sociocultural
-political
-education
Explain the cycle of change model
Similar to the stages of change model, ie:
-pre-contemplation
-contemplation
-preparation
-action
-maintenance
-Relapse
The main difference, is that it is a circle, insinuating that relapse is likely to happen and that is okay, the patient just learns to go through the cycle again.
Explain Leventhal’s (2016) self-regulatory model of Chronic Illness
When a person has a health threat, the Leventhal’s model proposes that there are different sequences of events that happen.
- Illness belief or / emotional response
2.Coping behaviors
3.Appraisal
Explain the COM-B model for LTC
Capacity -a person must have the capacity (aka physical strength, stamina, knowledge and skills to perform the behavior
Opportunity- in terms of physical and social environment
Motivation - must be highly motivated to perform behaviour
What are the 2 main treatment approaches for LTC
1) CBT
2) Motivational interviewing
Goals of CBT managing LTC
Identify strategies to manage the condition, emotional distress, and psycho-social difficulties
Identify the relationship between thoughts, emotions, and behavior
Alter the belief that their problems are unmanageable (re-frame maladaptive cognitions)
Explain Acceptance and Commitment theory
Focuses on accepting life experiences as they come
Mindfulness exercises to encourage building more compassionate relationships with difficult experiences.
Is ACT effect for LCT
There are consistent findings that ACT improves outcomes for patients with LTC, however, the studies are low quality and limited. Unclear whether findings are due to placebo, interventions ect.
What is self-management?
‘The ability of the patient to deal with all that a chronic illness entails, including symptoms, treatments, physical and social consequences, and lifestyle’
Self-management options
-mobile health apps
-social media
Are mobile health apps and social media effective in managing LTC’s?
Scott et al., (2020):
found Mixed findings in terms of benefit in a study of self-managment using mobile health apps for LTC
