Patient Activation: 4 Ways To Increase It To Benefit Your Health & Self-Esteem
Seeking out clinicians and medical guidance is one important part of maintaining your physical and emotional health. But the doctor-patient relationship is a vast spectrum, and where you lie may indicate how truly involved in your health you really are. The patient activation model, created by a group of researchers in the early 2000s, gauges one’s role in the care process. It’s a combination of having the knowledge, skill, and confidence to manage one’s health and health care. As we consider the spectrum of patient activation, we can see that on one end, we have passive involvement. On the other end, we have active involvement.
Within the spectrum, there are 4 levels:
Passive: Patients may be passive and feel overwhelmed about managing their health. They may be unprepared to take an active role in their own health
. Curious, But Lacking Knowledge: Patients may lack the knowledge and confidence to self-manage their health. While they are curious about being involved, they don’t know where to begin.
.Building Confidence: Patients are beginning to take action, but may still be lacking the confidence and skill to support and sustain these behaviors.
Active: Patients have adopted many behaviors to support their health, and may still find it challenging to maintain them when faced with adversity or life stress (we’re all human)
Some examples of questions to consider regarding your own activation are:
Do you believe you are in charge of your health?
Do you know what your medications do?
Do you understand the cause and meaning of your health conditions?
Do you have a plan of action if new health concerns arise?
Depending on your level of activation, studies from the National Library of Medicine show that there is a direct correlation between self-esteem and activation. In today’s world of easier communication, readily available information, and plentiful resources, gone are the days where we lacked information and ability to make meaningful changes. We are now capable of being active participants in our health.
4 Ways To Increase Your Patient Activation:
Don’t Be Afraid To Be Picky With Your Choice Of Doctors: If your doctor isn’t giving you the time of day (answering your questions, getting to know you as a human being, etc) you can walk away. There are plenty of medical providers out there who are genuinely invested in you.
Ask For Shared Decision-Making: This is a relationship where patients and doctors work together to make health care decisions. AKA- you are presented with options. From there, you and your doctor can decide what works best for your preferences, values, and needs.
Ask For Resources: You don’t have to go at it alone. For example, if you’re starting a new exercise routine with a physical limitation, ask your doctor for a recommendation of an exercise, program, or expert that can help you out along the way.
Develop A Tracking System That Works For You: How can you keep track of your progress? For some, it’s an app. For others, a wearable device. And there’s always the good old fashioned pen to paper approach where you can write down your changes. Examples include:
Step count
Nutrition (counting sodium, protein, calories, etc)
Hours asleep
Screen time
Above all, it’s important to remember that you have a say in your health and healthcare. Taking these steps towards patient activation will not only benefit your physical well-being, but increase your self-esteem, confidence, and emotional health.
*Bonus: Take a look at the model above and reflect:
🌟Do you feel you are an advocate of your own health? Why and why not?
🌟Where are you now in the 4 stages of change?
🌟Where do you want to be? What do you need to get there?