Self-care effectiveness and health outcomes in women with interstitial cystitis: implications for mental health clinicians.

Several researchers have discussed the need to define "outcomes" in health care more holistically, particularly from women's health, chronic illness, and self-care perspectives. Interstitial cystitis (IC), a chronic illness that primarily affects women, is a poorly understood condition that can produce hopelessness and suicidal ideation. Management of IC usually requires behavioral changes in all life dimensions. Multidimensional health outcomes were examined in a survey of 138 women with IC. Item-item and item-factor correlations were used to identify relationships between indicators of health outcomes and self-reported effectiveness of more than 300 self-care strategies used to manage IC. The effectiveness of behavioral and cognitive self-care strategies correlated differentially with dimensions of health. Uncertainty correlated most strongly with the quality of relationships with health care providers. Psychiatric nurses are well prepared to address the complex body-mind phenomena of IC, promoting effective self-care strategies while maintaining a supportive therapeutic relationship.