Self-care confidence may be the key: A cross-sectional study on the association between cognition and self-care behaviors in adults with XXXX .

@entity1 @entity73 @entity712
BACKGROUND: Self-care, a key element of @entity712 care, is challenging for @entity1 with @entity73 . Mechanisms through which @entity73 affects self-care are not currently well defined but evidence from other @entity1 populations suggests that self-efficacy, or task-specific confidence, mediates the relationship between cognitive functioning and @entity1 behaviors such as self-care. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to test the mediating role of self-care confidence in the relationship between cognition and self-care behaviors. DESIGN: A secondary analysis of data from a cross-sectional study. SETTING: Outpatient @entity712 clinics in 28 Italian provinces. @entity1 : 628 Italian @entity712 @entity1 . METHODS: We used the Self-Care of @entity712 Index v.6.2 to measure self-care maintenance, self-care management, and self-care confidence. Cognition was assessed with the Mini Mental State Examination. Structural equation modeling was used to analyze the data. RESULTS: @entity1 were 73 years old on average (SD=11), mostly (58%) male and mostly (77%) in New York Heart Association functional classes II and III. The mediation model showed excellent fit (comparative fit index=1.0; root mean square error of approximation=0.02): Self-care confidence totally mediated the relationship between cognition and self-care maintenance and management. CONCLUSION: Cognition affects self-care behaviors indirectly, through self-care confidence. Interventions aimed at improving self-care confidence may improve self-care, even in @entity712 @entity1 with @entity73 .
