Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41519743›Full record

ArticleBMC nursing2026

Self-care and self-efficacy in self-care behaviors of older adults with multiple chronic conditions living in low-middle income country: an observational study.

Alta Arapi, Sajmira Adëraj, Rocco Mazzotta, Dasilva Taci, Vicente Bernalte-Martí, Dhurata Ivziku, Rosario Caruso, Alessandro Stievano, Ercole Vellone, Gennaro Rocco and 1 more

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Article in BMC nursing, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

2 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

11 authors.

Alta ArapiAlbanian Order of Nurses, Tirana, Albania.
Sajmira AdërajDepartment of Biomedicine and Prevention, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy.
Rocco MazzottaDepartment of Biomedicine and Prevention, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy. rocco.mazzotta@uniroma2.it.
Dasilva TaciDepartment of Biomedicine and Prevention, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy.
Vicente Bernalte-MartíDepartment of Nursing, Faculty of Health Sciences Castellón, Jaume I University, Castelló de la Plana, Spain.
Dhurata IvzikuDepartment of Health Professions, Fondazione Policlinico Campus Bio-Medico, Rome, Italy.
Rosario CarusoDepartment of Biomedical Sciences for Health, University of Milan, Milan, Italy.
Alessandro StievanoCentre of Excellence for Nursing Scholarship, Order of Nurses of Rome, Rome, Italy.
Ercole VelloneDepartment of Biomedicine and Prevention, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy.
Gennaro RoccoCentre of Excellence for Nursing Scholarship, Order of Nurses of Rome, Rome, Italy.
Maddalena De MariaDepartment of Life Science, Health, and Health Professions, Link Campus University, Rome, Italy.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundMultiple chronic conditions (MCCs) are highly prevalent worldwide, particularly among adult patients living in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Self-care behaviors are recommended to reduce the burden of MCCs and improve outcomes. Self-care is a naturalistic decision-making process that encompasses maintenance, monitoring, and management of chronic conditions. Self-efficacy in self-care, defined as an individual’s confidence in performing effective self-care behaviors, is essential for sustaining long-term behavioral change. However, evidence on self-care and self-efficacy in self-care behaviors among older adults with MCCs in LMICs remains limited. This study aimed to describe self-care and self-efficacy in self-care behaviors among older adults with MCCs living in Albania, an LMIC.

designMulticenter cross-sectional observational study.

methodsWe recruited patients affected by MCCs living in Albania, an LMIC. The Self-Care of Chronic Illness Inventory (SC-CII) and the Self-Care Self-Efficacy Scale (SC-SES) were used to assess self-care and self-efficacy in self-care behaviors, respectively. Descriptive statistics were carried out.

resultsA sample of 376 patients were enrolled. Participants were mostly female (54.3%), with a mean age of 74.1 (SD = 6.2) years, low educational level (65.4%). On average, participants had two chronic conditions. The most frequently reported conditions were hypertension (88.2%) and diabetes mellitus (DM) (75.1%). The least frequently performed self-care behaviors included engaging in regular physical activity (63%), practicing stress management (85%), monitoring medication side effects (41.5%), and adjusting diet or fluid intake in response to symptoms (60%).

conclusionOlder adults with MCCs living in Albania, a representative of LMIC reported inadequate self-care and self-efficacy in self-care in specific behaviors. These findings highlight the urgent need for tailored interventions to enhance self-care and self-efficacy in self-care behaviors in this vulnerable population. Further research is needed to identify factors influencing self-care behaviors among older adults with MCCs in LMICs. CLINICAL TRIAL NUMBER: Not applicable.

Indexed as

Chronic conditionsLow- and middle income countriesOlder adultsSelf-careSelf-care self-efficacy

Identifiers

PMID41519743
PMCPMC12882282

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LicenceCC BY-NC-ND
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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.