Older adults' self-advocacy in patient safety: a cross-sectional study

Abstract

Background: patient advocacy is a major nursing role, which is linked to supporting, encouraging and reinforcing self-advocacy in patients. Patient safety is an important nursing outcome, especially in older adults. Aims: older adults' self-advocacy regarding patient safety behaviour and its relationship with some demographic characteristics were assessed. Methods: a valid older adult patients' self-advocacy questionnaire, which included subscales of behaviour, self-efficacy, attitude and outcome efficacy (range of scores=0–63), was used. In this cross-sectional study, 230 patients aged over 60 years were selected using a stratified sampling method. Findings: an association was found between total self-advocacy score (mean=40.16; SD=9.6) and rural living (β=–0.168; P=0.016) using multiple linear regression analysis. Similar findings were found between questionnaire subscales and sex, rural living, occupation and age. Conclusion: older adults, especially women, those of advanced age and those in rural areas, may benefit from nursing interventions to improve their self-advocacy in patient safety.