Self-Efficacy and Self-Care Behavior in Patients with Unruptured Intracranial Aneurysm after Treatment with Coil Embolization

Abstract

Background: This study aimed to identify the self-efficacy and self-care behaviors in patients with an unruptured intracranial aneurysm who have undergone coil embolization.Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted to 143 patients who were diagnosed with unruptured intracranial aneurysm and visited the outpatient department of radiology for follow-up management after performing coil embolization at a tertiary hospital, Seoul. The self-efficacy and self-care behaviors were measured using self-reported questionnaire. The collected data were analyzed with independent t-test, one-way analysis of variance, Pearson's correlation using the SPSS/win 26.0 statistical programs (IBM Corp, Armonk, NY, USA).Results: The mean score of self-efficacy in patients with an unruptured intracranial aneurysm was 3.49±0.55 out of 5. The mean score of self-care behaviors was 3.69±0.66 out of 5. The self-efficacy exhibited statistically significant differences depending on the size and number of the cerebral aneurysms and the presence of such aneurysms remaining after treatment. There was a positive correlation between self-efficacy and self-care behaviors (r=0.37, P=0.001). Regression analysis revealed that the patient's self-care behaviors of the patients was explained by self-efficacy (β=0.37, P<0.001) and these variables explained 13.3% of the variance in self-care behaviors (F=22.86, P<0.001).Conclusions: In order to increase self-care behaviors, it is necessary to develop self-efficacy interventions so that an unruptured intracranial aneurysm who have undergone coil embolization can effectively cope with various difficulties during treatment course.