Purpose
This study developed a self-management program for patients undergoing lumbar spinal stenosis surgery utilizing the information-motivation-behavioral skills (IMB) model. Methods: Data collection occurred from August 11, 2022, to March 31, 2023, at General Hospital A in South Korea. The control group comprised 28 patients, while the experimental group included 30 patients. Analyses were performed using SPSS/WIN ver. 23.0. Preliminary homogeneity testing employed either the independent t-test, chi-square test, or Fisher exact test. For hypothesis testing, the normality of the differences between pretest and posttest data in both groups was assessed using the Shapiro-Wilk test. As the data were not normally distributed, the Mann-Whitney U test was used. Results: Significant differences were observed in self-management information (p<.001), personal motivation (p=.002), social motivation (p=.002), behavioral skills (p=.002), behaviors (p=.003), health-related quality of life (p<.001), and disc height (p=.006) in the experimental group following program implementation, compared to the control group. However, no significant differences were found in lower extremity muscular strength, lumbar lordotic angle, or the visual analog scores for low back pain and leg pain between the two groups. Conclusion: The self-management program developed in this study, based on the IMB model, was effective in improving self-management information, motivation, behavioral skills, behaviors, health-related quality of life, and self-management health outcomes in patients undergoing lumbar spinal stenosis surgery. Nevertheless, future research should aim to verify the long-term effects of such self-management programs by extending the intervention period.