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Does stimulating self-care increase self-care behaviour for minor illnesses of Dutch and Turkish inhabitants of a deprived area in The Netherlands?

Plass, A.M.C., Timmermans, D.R.M., Wal, G. van der. Does stimulating self-care increase self-care behaviour for minor illnesses of Dutch and Turkish inhabitants of a deprived area in The Netherlands? Patient Education and Counseling: 2006, 63(1-2), p. 97-103.
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OBJECTIVE: The aim of the present study was to examine whether self-care behaviour increases after a self-care stimulating intervention that proved to be successful in reducing care-seeking behaviour for minor illnesses of Turkish and Dutch inhabitants of a deprived area in the Netherlands, and to see whether there are cultural differences. METHOD: This longitudinal study was based on a "pre-test/post-test one group" design. Data were collected during three structured face-to-face interviews: before the intervention, and 6 months and 1 year after the intervention, in which GPs personally handed out booklets to their patients containing guidelines on the management of 12 minor illnesses. RESULTS: The number of self-reported self-care actions did not increase. In contrast to the Dutch, the Turkish participants reported a decrease in the number of self-care actions, their attitude towards self-care became more negative, and they perceived less control. CONCLUSION: Apparently, a reduction in formal health care utilisation is not engendered by an increase in self-care behaviour. In order to make sure that interventions like these will have the intended effect, more research is needed, particularly among non-western populations. PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS: In developing future healthcare-reducing interventions, one should be aware of possible unwanted side effects in non-western populations. (aut. ref.)