Cogitare Enfermagem (Dec 2011)

A PROPOSAL FOR THE MEASURING OF SELF-CARE IN THE ELDERLY

  • Selma Petra Chaves Sá,
  • Dirley Moreira dos Santos,
  • Lorena Maria Volkers Robers,
  • Marcia Santos Andrade,
  • Carlos Alberto Quadros Coimbra,
  • Thiara Joanna Peçanha da Cruz

DOI
https://doi.org/10.5380/ce.v16i4.25435
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 16, no. 4
pp. 661 – 666

Abstract

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This quantitative study aimed to construct Mokken scales related to the capacity for self-care of 48 elderly individuals. The survey used a version of the Appraisal of Self-Care Agency Scale validated for Portuguese. The questionnaire of 24 items permitted answers on a Likert scale with five alternatives. For analysis, non-parametric item response theory was used. Out of all the polytomic items, 19 formed two Mokken scales: that of Subjective Self-Care Capacity, with 11 items, and that of Objective Self-Care Capacity, with 8 items. It was possible to set up two scales in diminishing order of self-care ability, according to each person´s total score. It was verified that where objective actions and attitudes are concerned, the self-care capacity of the elderly is less than when one is considering subjective actions and attitudes. KEYWORDS

Keywords