Definitions, instruments and correlates of patient empowerment: A descriptive review

Abstract

Objective: This review aimed to: (i) inventory the definitions and measurements of patient empowerment in healthcare literature; (ii) appraise the conceptual and methodological rigor of included studies; and (iii) identify correlates of patient empowerment in persons with chronic conditions.

Methods: Four databases were searched to identify articles measuring patient empowerment in persons with chronic conditions, used a quantitative design and provided evidence on correlates of patient empowerment. Seventy-six articles were included and analyzed by descriptive statistics and summative content analysis.

Results: The articles used a range of definitions (n = 35) and instruments (n = 38), evaluating a range of correlates in four categories: sociodemographic characteristics, clinical outcomes, patient-reported outcomes and patient-reported experiences. The most frequent associations were between patient empowerment and age (n = 21), sex (n = 15), educational level (n = 15) and quality of life (n = 18). However, they were not always significant.

Conclusion: The broad variation of definitions and instruments highlights the lack of consensus on how to interpret and measure patient empowerment. Although several covariates have been evaluated, there are few studies assess the same relationships.

Practice implications: Consensus on a definition and measurement of patient empowerment is needed to improve the quality of future research and to provide a more cohesive body of knowledge.

Keywords: Chronic conditions; Correlates; Definitions; Patient empowerment; Questionnaires.