Facilitating and impeding factors in health promotion for patients with chronic illness: A qualitative study

Background: Chronic illnesses are by definition long lasting and without a definitive cure. In Iran, like in many other developing countries, chronic diseases are not merely diseases of the elderly. They also affect a much higher proportion of people during their prime working years and more so than in the developed countries. Therefore, it is essential to understand the factors influencing the health promotion of patients who surfer from chronic illnesses in order to be able to advance a sense of well-being amongst this patient group. Methods: A content analysis with a qualitative approach was conducted and 35 patients with chronic illness were interviewed. Results: Six main themes emerged from the collected data, all of which affected the health promotion in patients. Conclusion: A positive interaction of the aforementioned factors can lead to a better health attainment, whilst a negative effect may result if these factors operate in the opposite direction.