PURPOSE
This study was conducted to construct and test a hypothetical model for alcohol abstinence behavior of patients with chronic liver diseases (CLD). The model was based on the theory of planned behavior.
METHODS
Participants consisted of 240 adult patients with CLD who had regular visits to Busan medical center and Kyungsang universisty hospital from February 12 to March 14, 2014. Data were collected using self-report questionnaires. Collected data were analyzed using SPSS 18.0, AMOS 21.0 programs.
RESULTS
The modified model was a good fit for the data. The model fit indices were χ²/df=1.78, GFI=.86, AGFI=.90, RMR=.08, RMSEA=.05, NFI=.88, TLI=.92, CFI=.87, PNFI=.70. Alcohol abstinence intention (β=.56) had significant direct effects on alcohol abstinence behavior in patients with CLD. This variable explained 32% of the variance in alcohol abstinence behavior. Attitude (β=.47), perceived behavioral control (β=.41) and subjective norms (β=.25) had direct effects on alcohol abstinence intention. These variables explained 46% of the variance in alcohol abstinence intention.
CONCLUSION
Findings suggest that the intention of alcohol abstinence is important for patients with CLD to engage in alcohol abstinence behavior. It provides the basis for developing an intervention program to induce alcohol abstinence in patients with CLD.

Citations

• Perioperative patient safety management activities: A modified theory of planned behavior
  Nam Yi Kim, Sun Young Jeong, Camelia Delcea
  PLOS ONE.2021; 16(6): e0252648.     CrossRef
• A Structural Model Explaining the Health Behaviors among Adults with Metabolic Syndrome: Theory of Planned Behavior Approach
  Taejeong Jang, Rhayun Song
  Korean Journal of Adult Nursing.2020; 32(1): 98.     CrossRef

In Korea, most of the patients with chronic liver diseases have been using some kind of alternative therapies at home. however, the question is why do people turn to alternative therapy and how the patients are able to use the alternative therapies widely, though the effects have not been proven scientifically. Therefore, it is necessary to explore the process of the patients' experiences using the alternative therapies. The 16 participants were from internal- medical departments in hospital and the permission was received to participate in this study from the subjects. The data were collected with interviews and participants observations, analyzed by the grounded theory methodology of Strauss and Corbin(1990). With the analysis of the data, 15 categories were generated such as psychological pressures, barriers of role performances, distrusts of western medicine, blind obediences to the treatments, attitudes towards alternative therapies, supportive systems, obstacles to taking alternative therapies, financial burdens, collecting informations, pursuing alternative modalities, efforting diversities, analyzing by themselves, managing the body, accepting the disease, and ambivalence. The paradigm model was developed to identify the relationships of categories. The central phenomenon of the experiences of seeking alternative therapies was named jagi momdasrim. The central concept of jagi momdasrim is a mind-set to desire to wellness and to take more responsibility for one's own healing by pursuing alternate healing modalities rather than the western medical system. The process of jagi momdasrim evolved several stages such as seeking, finding, struggling, overcoming, fulfilling, and governing the diseases. Four patterns of taking alternative therapies were found as follows: the bulsin-chujong-hyung, the suyoung-hyung, the yangdari-gulchiki-hyung, the chamjae-hyung. In conclusion, the phenomenon of alternative therapies as consumer-driven force to heal the chronic liver diseases of the patients could be explained as an adaptive behavior through the process of jagi momdasrim. However, since most of the participants practicing some kind of alternative therapies had no evidences of its effects and never tried to consult with their medical doctors about alternative therapies, we should approach more actively. Therefore, it is recommended for nurses to listen and watch the patients behaviors of using alternative therapies and find out how to educate the patients about the proper and safe way to take the alternative therapies.