Process of Change in Recognition of Patients With Chronic Illness Who Lead to Maintain Their Improved Eating Habits

Abstract

This study clarifies changes in recognition of patients with chronic illness who lead to maintain their improved eating habits, and defines the influence of self-evaluation of health and food on maintaining eating habits. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with patients undergoing medical treatment at hospitals within the prefecture. I restructured the interviews based on interview transcripts and extracted commonalities among seven patients who improved their eating habits and changed their recognition of the connection between eating habits and chronic illness. As a result, I extracted six commonalities : (1) patients perceive and question physical changes ; (2) patients recognize the connection between eating habits and physical changes ; (3) patients are able to view their eating habits objectively ; (4) patients comprehend the point of practical eating habits and control conditions ; (5) patients establish rules concerning diet; and (6) patients' concern for health and diet increases. In addition, individual situations also exerted an influence on patients by promoting or interfering with changes in recognition. It was found to be important that patients perceive and begin questioning physical changes, and that they visualize such physical changes and connect them specifically to eating habits.