Self-Regulation Strategies as Predictors: Managing Multimorbidities Among Community-Dwelling People Aging with Arthritis

Abstract

Self-regulation (SR) has been defined as consisting of three basic strategies: selection, optimization, and compensation. This study investigates these three SR strategies as predictors of arthritis self-efficacy, quality of life (QOL), and health-care utilization in community-dwelling people aging with arthritis and comorbidities. One hundred forty individuals over age 50 years provided demographic characteristics and completed surveys on comorbidities, health resources, use of SR strategies, symptoms, arthritis self-efficacy, QOL, and health-care utilization. Multivariate hierarchical stepwise regressions were used to examine SR strategies as predictors for arthritis self-efficacy, and together with arthritis self-efficacy as predictors for health-care utilization, and QOL. Physical symptoms; SR strategies, especially optimization; and income adequacy significantly predicted arthritis self-efficacy. Arthritis self-efficacy and mental and physical symptoms significantly predicted QOL. This study adds evidence to support the role of SR strategies, especially optimization, in building arthritis self-efficacy for better self-management and QOL in persons with arthritis and multiple chronic conditions.