Original ResearchUncertainty and the Treatment Experience of Individuals With Chronic Hepatitis C
Section snippets
Background
Viral hepatitis is the umbrella term encompassing infections from any of the hepatitis viruses. Hepatitis C infections share an acute phase that may progress to a chronic phase in some individuals. The short-term acute phase follows exposure to the hepatitis C virus and comprises the initial 6 months. The acute form is often asymptomatic or characterized by minor gastrointestinal symptoms or general malaise. In most cases the exposure goes unnoticed by the individual. The chronic form of the
Purpose of the Study
With 75% of individuals unaware of their infection, new screening recommendations are sure to identify numerous cases of chronic hepatitis C. Once identified, the newly diagnosed hepatitis C individual has to cope with the paradox of a new diagnosis of a chronic, sometimes advanced, condition. This paradox causes psychological stress to individuals as they cognitively process the uncertainties surrounding the diagnosis and prognosis, as well as the stigma associated with hepatitis C. The aim of
Literature Review
Merle H. Mishel conceptualized uncertainty in illness and created a middle range theory in nursing. He defined uncertainty as the cognitive state the individual creates when he or she is not able to properly structure or categorize an event because of a lack of sufficient cues.5 The individual is not able to ascribe personal meaning to events or is not able to predict outcomes; this causes some obscurity and, therefore, uncertainty occurs.6 These incongruencies or unbalanced realities cause
Design
A cross-sectional, correlational design was used to assess the direction and strength of relationships among variables. Correlational research consists of gathering information to assist in determining if and to what degree a relationship exists between a set of variables. If a relationship between 2 variables exists, scores are examined to determine the strength corresponding to a set of variables. Correlational studies typically examine numerous variables; these variables may be related to a
Characteristics of the Sample
The average age of participants was 58.34 years (SD = 4.81), with a range of 49-69 years. Of the participants, 75.4% (n = 101) were female and 24.6% (n = 33) were male (see Table 1). Average years since diagnosis of hepatitis C was 15.16 years (SD = 9.47), as shown in Table 2. Length of diagnosis ranged from recently diagnosed to a maximum of 45 years since hepatitis C diagnosis. A majority of participants indicated having a history of treatment (67.2%, n = 90). The number of prior treatment
Correlational Analysis
A correlational analysis was conducted to evaluate the strength of the relationship between uncertainty and the antecedents of Mishel’s uncertainty in illness theory. Four antecedents were analyzed: health care authority figures; years since diagnosis; treatment experience; and social network. Treatment experience was made operational as the number of hepatitis C treatment attempts. A scatterplot matrix was developed to confirm the relationships were linear and distributed bivariately normally.
Discussion
Hepatitis C is a highly stigmatized condition. The stigma associated with hepatitis C may limit individuals from seeking educational material on the subject or guidance from a health care professional. This stigma may further alienate individuals and make them feel isolated when a diagnosis of hepatitis C is made. The internet has become a major resource for information and support for individuals with hepatitis C. Study participants were recruited through a variety of virtual settings, mainly
Conclusion
This study has provided insight regarding variables that share significant relationships with uncertainty in those individuals affected by chronic hepatitis C. The findings can be utilized to help create interventions catered toward this population to decrease perceived uncertainty and to develop a more cohesive understanding of illness events. Social network shared an inverse relationship with perceived uncertainty; therefore, by supporting those affected and connecting them to community
Humberto Reinoso, PhD, FNP-BC, ENP-BC, is a clinical assistant professor in the Georgia Baptist College of Nursing at Mercer University in Atlanta, GA. He can be reached at [email protected].
References (12)
- et al.
Who interacts on the web?: The intersection of users’ personality and social media use
Comput Hum Behav
(2010) Hepatitis and Liver Cancer: A National Strategy for Prevention and Control of Hepatitis B and C
(2010)Living with chronic illness: Living with uncertainty
- US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Recommendations for identification of chronic hepatitis C virus...
- Moyer VA. Screening for hepatitis C virus infection in adults: US Preventative Services Task Force recommendation...
Uncertainty in illness
Image
(1988)
Cited by (2)
How does organizational culture influence care coordination in hospitals? A systematic review
2019, Enfermeria ClinicaCitation Excerpt :Patients need directions to access their treatment system.5 Healthcare workers in hospitals affect the perception of uncertainty experienced by the patient regarding any incident related to the condition of the disease.6 Poor coordination of care may lead to a variety of medical errors.7,8
Humberto Reinoso, PhD, FNP-BC, ENP-BC, is a clinical assistant professor in the Georgia Baptist College of Nursing at Mercer University in Atlanta, GA. He can be reached at [email protected].
In compliance with national ethical guidelines, the author reports no relationships with business or industry that would pose a conflict of interest.