Critical analysis of everyday self-care decision making in chronic illness

Aims of the paper. The purpose of the paper is to (1) identify prevalent assumptions that underlie the traditional conceptualization of everyday self-care decision making and (2) contrast these with the findings of relevant research. Background/Rationale. Current understandings of self-care decision making in chronic illness tend to be extrapolated from knowledge gained in relation to one-time decisions, or decision making in contexts that are only superficially related to the complexity and pervasiveness of living with a chronic disease. Findings. The authors challenge the assumptions with which current understandings represent self-care decision making in chronic illness, using evidence from their research on what it is like to live with and manage the implications of having a chronic disease on an everyday basis. Conclusions. The paper concludes with a call for a new conceptualization of self-care decision making in chronic illness which sufficiently addresses the unique and complex nature of such decisions.