LAUSR

BACKGROUND patient advocacy is a major nursing role, which is linked to supporting, encouraging and reinforcing self-advocacy in patients. Patient safety is an important nursing outcome, especially in older adults. AIMS older adults' self-advocacy regarding patient safety behaviour and its relationship with some demographic characteristics were assessed. METHODS a valid older adult patients' self-advocacy questionnaire, which included subscales of behaviour, self-efficacy, attitude and outcome efficacy (range of scores=0-63), was used. In this cross-sectional study, 230 patients aged over 60 years were selected using a stratified sampling method. FINDINGS an association was found between total self-advocacy score (mean=40.16; SD=9.6) and rural living (β=-0.168; P=0.016) using multiple linear regression analysis. Similar findings were found between questionnaire subscales and sex, rural living, occupation and age. CONCLUSION older adults, especially women, those of advanced age and those in rural areas, may benefit from nursing interventions to improve their self-advocacy in patient safety.