Engagement in the local context: the active involvement of the person suffering from long-term pathologies

L’engagement nel contesto territoriale: il coinvolgimento attivo della persona affetta da patologie di lunga durata

Abstract

Introduction: In 2017 the nursing staff of Health Local District no. 2 of Trieste followed 67 patients in charge at both the home and the outpatient services for long-term pathologies starting from the hospitalization.

Case description: The Service administered the PHE-S® scale to these 67 patients, in the light of a strategical consideration of the importance of monitoring the levels of patients’ engagement and of personalizing dedicated initiatives to promote the active involvement of the patients, also thanks to the improvement of the clinical relationship. The level of engagement was measured at zero, one and four months after hospitalization. In the four months after discharge, the nursing staff applied specific strategies to promote engagement.

Conclusions: This study shows that engagement of patients with long-term illnesses is strategically important to improve care and quality of life.