Abstract
Purpose
Self-management has been proposed as the way forward in improving health outcomes for people with neurological conditions; yet the experience and meaning of self-management for people with neurological conditions has rarely been focused on specifically. The current study addressed the question, what is the experience of self-managing a neurological condition? A secondary aim was to examine the feasibility of exploring self-management across neurological conditions.
Materials and methods
A qualitative, phenomenological approach was adopted, which recognised service users as the experts on their conditions. Data-prompted interviews, using scrapbooks, were conducted with eight people with various neurological conditions, residing in the north-east of England.
Results
Interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA) identified two key themes. Theme one, “meaning and purpose,” identified achieving meaning and purpose in life as central to the self-management experience. It comprised five sub-themes (what is important to me; me and my condition; embracing my body; connecting with others; taking charge) which represented areas that could influence finding meaning and purpose. Theme two, “finding the new normal,” emphasised the centrality of reflection in an ongoing self-management process.
Conclusions
The findings form the basis of a proposed framework for the self-management of neurological conditions which could inform practice and be developed into a self-management tool.
Self-management is an ongoing process requiring continuous reflection.
A positive psychology approach to self-management can support people to find meaning and purpose in life.
This framework could be adapted into a self-management tool for people with neurological conditions.
This self-management framework can be applied across neurological conditions.
IMPLICATIONS FOR REHABILITATION
Acknowledgements
The authors thank the participants who gave their time to this project.
Disclosure statement
The authors report no conflicts of interest.