The Situation-Specific Theory of Heart Failure Self-Care Updated: Analysis and Evaluation for Use in Coronary Disease

Abstract

The Situation-Specific Theory of Self-Care in Heart Failure Updated proposes and explains how situational (person, problem, and environment) and process factors influence self-care actions. The updating of the Theory provides us with a framework to propose process factors as mediators in the influence of self-care. At present, an analysis and evaluation of the Theory for its use in coronary diseases has not been carried out. Objective: to analyze and evaluate the Theory of the Specific Situation of Self-Care in Heart Failure Updated, for its use in research on other coronary disease. Method: The theoretical analysis was carried out according to the analysis strategy proposed by Walker and Avant, which consist of: identifying the origins of the theory, examining the meaning of the theory, logical consistency, utility, transferability, and parsimony. Original indexed studies using the Updated Theory were analyzed. Conclusion: The Theory presents concepts that are simple in their definitions and easy to be explored and measured. The theoretical structure allows hypothesizing that process factors can be tested as mediators or moderators between situational factors and self-care actions. The focus of the theory facilitates its use in creating mid-range and situation-specific theories in other chronic diseases. The theory provides a framework to explore new phenomena related to the decision-making process in self-care and the perception of symptoms in patients with coronary heart disease (such as, acute myocardial infarction, coronary syndrome and others), through the use of qualitative, quantitative correlational and mixed research.