Relating Health Locus of Control to Health Care Use, Adherence, and Transition Readiness Among Youths With Chronic Conditions, North Carolina, 2015

Details

• Journal Article:
  Preventing Chronic Disease (PCD)
• Personal Author:
  Nazareth, Meaghan ; Richards, Jordan ; Javalkar, Karina ; Haberman, Cara ; Zhong, Yi ; Rak, Eniko ; Jain, Nina ; Ferris, Maria ; van Tilburg, Miranda A.L.
• Description:
  Introduction
  
  Health locus of control refers to the belief that health is in one’s control (internal control) or is not in one’s control (external control). Among adults, external locus of control is associated with negative health outcomes, whereas internal locus of control is associated with favorable outcomes. Few studies examined these associations among youths. The objective of our study was to determine how locus of control relates to health care use, medication adherence, missed school, and readiness for transition to adult medical care for youths with chronic conditions.
  
  Methods
  
  Participants at a camp for youths aged 6 to 17 years with chronic health conditions completed a survey measuring locus of control, readiness for transition to adult care, and medication adherence. Their parents completed a separate part of the survey about health care use and missed school days in the past year.
  
  Results
  
  A total of 163 youths completed the survey (78.5% white; 52.1% female; mean age, 12.3 y). Internal locus of control (β = 0.196; P = .013) and external Doctor locus of control with doctors controlling disease (β = 0.181; P = .025) were positively associated with transition readiness. External control by chance or with others controlling disease was negatively associated with transition readiness (β = −0.248; P = .002) and positively associated with emergency department visits (β = 0.225; P = .004) and with number of hospital inpatient nights at hospital (β = 0.166; P = .04).
  
  Conclusion
  
  Adolescents with external control of their health by chance or by other people are at increased risk for negative health outcomes and may fail to develop the self-management skills needed for successful transitioning to adult care. Future studies should examine effects of changes in locus of control on health outcomes among youths.
  
  
• Subjects:
  Adolescent Child Chronic Disease Female Humans Internal-External Control Linear Models Male Medication Adherence Self Care Surveys And Questionnaires Transition To Adult Care

  More +
• Source:
  Prev Chronic Dis. 13.
• DOI:
  http://dx.doi.org/10.5888/pcd13.160046
• ISSN:
  1545-1151
• Pubmed ID:
  27442993
• Pubmed Central ID:
  PMC4956478
• Document Type:
  Journal Article
• Place as Subject:
  North Carolina
• Volume:
  13
• Collection(s):
  Preventing Chronic Disease
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:9a5ab589a9b4632a2033cb63e05e54ca8bc7300baa4e8adc359fc305d5a35d3d52e521f9b5861eacabf0dc0803b1827515445d8017c4ff137d340e4d9bdb1fad
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/40767/cdc_40767_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 268.39 KB ]