Debating the Influence of Self-Reports by People Living with Chronic Disease on Healthy Aging and Longevity
For people living with chronic disease, decision-making in relation to their health and lifestyle choices is an integral aspect to managing the complexity that living with chronic disease brings into their lives. Research findings reveal that people living with chronic disease can self-report what may seem to be appropriate explanations for their health status and seem to be in control of their health in their efforts to master the constraints imposed by their life situation. Precisely because ignoring disease-related changes may actually contribute to disease progression, it is imperative to know whether self-reports are made linking biomedical understandings of their disease with the person's social situation and life events. To understand how to influence choices made by people living with chronic disease to promote healthy aging and longevity, it is imperative for health and social care professionals to learn how to question people's self-reports, given that self-reports are often used as evidence in practice and research to inform clinical solutions
self-reports chronic disease healthy aging longevity decision-making