Determination of self-care agency and affecting factors in patients undergoing cardiac surgery

Aim: The aim of this study is to assess the self-care agency in patients who have undergone heart surgery and to identify the socio-demographic, clinical, and lifestyle factors that influence their agency to manage their own care. Methods: This is a descriptive study conducted on 80 patients who underwent cardiac surgery between April 2023 and September 2023 at a cardiology institute affiliated with a university in Istanbul and a training and research hospital affiliated with a foundation university in the same city. Data were collected using the “Sociodemographic Characteristics Form” and the “Self-Care Agency Scale”. Statistical analysis included the Kolmogorov-Smirnov Test, Shapiro-Wilk Test, Mann-Whitney U Test, and Kruskal-Wallis Test. Results: The study found that gender, smoking status, and alcohol consumption significantly influenced self-care agency, with females, non-smokers, and non-drinkers demonstrating higher self-care scores. Additionally, the presence of chronic diseases, particularly a combination of diabetes and hypertension, was associated with lower self-care abilities. Physical attributes such as height and body weight were also negatively correlated with self-care agency scores, indicating that greater height and weight were linked to lower self-care agency. Conclusion: A combination of socio-demographic factors, lifestyle habits, and physical characteristics influences self-care agency among heart surgery patients. Lifestyle modification, chronic disease management, and patient education-focused strategies are critically important for improving self-care abilities in this patient group.