The Relationship Between Self-care Ability and Health-Promoting Behaviors of Patients with Multiple Sclerosis

Background: Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic disease. Familiarity and awareness of self-care conditions and health-promoting behaviors contribute to patients’ self-efficacy. Objectives: This study examines the relationship between self-care ability and health-promoting behaviors in patients with Multiple Sclerosis. Methods: This descriptive-analytical study involved 112 MS patients from the MS Society of Khuzestan province, selected through convenience sampling. Data were collected using a demographic form, Weaver’s Self-Care Inventory (SCI), and Walker’s Health-Promoting Lifestyle Profile (HPLP), then analyzed with SPSS software at a significance level of 0.05. Results: The mean self-care ability score was 104.49 ± 12.72 (range 40 - 240), and the mean health-promoting behavior score was 132.52 ± 12.72 (range 50 - 208), indicating overall poor health-promoting behaviors. Self-care ability was significantly related to health-promoting behaviors in MS patients (P < 0.01). Age (P = 0.001), education (P = 0.002), and job type (P = 0.017) showed significant relationships with self-care ability. However, there was no significant relationship between demographic variables and health-promoting behaviors (P < 0.05). Conclusions: Multiple sclerosis patients exhibit poor health-promoting behaviors and self-care ability. Improving self-care ability and health-promoting behaviors requires ongoing education and culturalization. The MS Society can design and implement structured training programs by understanding the self-efficacy needs and abilities of patients and collaborating with other therapy group members.