[Self-care agency ability in people suffering from high blood pressure hospitalised in Bogotá, Colombia]

Abstract

Objective: Describing how hospitalised people who have been diagnosed as having high blood pressure carry out self-care activities.

Methodology: A descriptive design, having a quantitative approach, was used for evaluating the self-care agency ability of 90 people who had been hospitalised in Bogotá diagnosed as suffering from high blood pressure. Evers and Isenberg's SAA (self-care agency appreciation) scale was used.

Results: The results showed that 53% of people hospitalised suffering from high blood pressure had deficient SAA. Regarding the SAA instrument's items obtaining the highest scores, it was found that the participants were able to maximise attention and vigilance, had motivation or self-care-orientated goals, reasoned within a self-care reference framework, had self-care abilities (cognitive, perception, communication and interpersonal) and integrated self-care operations with other aspects of life.

Conclusion: Caring for hypertense people is a challenge for health-care personnel and the whole community. Nursing care should focus on helping individuals to look after themselves, engage in self-care action for conserving their health and lives, recover from illness and confront its consequences.