The adaptation of everyday practices in the adoption of chronic illness.
This article uses social practice theory to examine the role of information-seeking in the maintenance of existing lifestyle and illness-related adjustments in the context of chronic illnesses. The research findings are derived from a thematic analysis of 16 semi-structured in-depth interviews with Estonian Parkinson's disease patients. The coding scheme bases on the four practice elements outlined by Schatzki (practical understandings, rules, teleological structures and general understandings) and other categories related to chronic illness self-management skills, bodily movements, daily routines and information-seeking practices. The findings reveal that people with chronic illness value maintaining their existing lifestyles as long as possible and the willingness to seek out illness-related information is related to the severity and duration of the disease. These findings suggest that effective illness-related communication that supports self-management should provide patients with possibilities to adjust and switch between practices in a time and a pace that is natural and acceptable to them.
['Lubi|Kadi|K|']
D000222:Adaptation, Physiological D000223:Adaptation, Psychological D000368:Aged D000369:Aged, 80 and over D002908:Chronic Disease D015331:Cohort Studies D004957:Estonia D005260:Female D015577:Geriatric Assessment D006801:Humans D007407:Interviews as Topic D008019:Life Style D008297:Male D010300:Parkinson Disease D011788:Quality of Life D000073278:Self-Management D012720:Severity of Illness Index D066269:Social Theory
chronic illness social practice theory existing lifestyle self-management Parkinson’s disease