Minority populations bear a disproportionate burden of chronic disease, due to higher disease prevalence and greater morbidity and mortality. Several factors, including confidence to self-manage care, are associated with better health behaviors and outcomes among those with chronic disease. Blustein and coworkers examined the association between minority status and confidence to self-manage cardiovascular disease (CVD). Survey respondents (n = 1107) admitted to 10 hospitals participating in the "Expecting Success" program, with a diagnosis of CVD, during January-September 2006. Minority race/ethnicity was substantially associated with lower confidence to self-manage CVD, with 36.5% of Hispanic patients, 30.7% of Black patients, and 16.0% of white patients reporting low confidence. However, in multivariate analysis controlling for socioeconomic status and clinical severity, minority status was not predictive of low confidence.

WHAT THE STUDY MAY MEAN TO YOU AS A HEALTH CARE PROVIDER: Although there was an association between race/ethnicity and confidence to self-manage care, the relationship is explained by the association of race/ethnicity with socioeconomic status and clinical severity.

WHAT THE STUDY MAY MEAN TO YOU AS A PATIENT: Knowing how to manage your condition through self-management permits you to make a major contribution in controlling a chronic disorder. With practice, you develop self-efficacy that you can perform these skills in more settings and at different times. While not a finding in the present study, this is generally found in studies that assess self-efficacy.

J Blustein et al. Race/Ethnicity and patient confidence to self-manage cardiovascular disease. Medical Care, 2008;46:924-929.