[Is compliance part of selfcare or is noncompliance a selfcare deficit?].

Compliance has been the subject of a discussion between several branches of science. This discussion is mainly focused on questions of terminology and definition. Common usage of terminology and prevailing definitions have the disadvantage that they tend to stress the subordinate position of the patient in relation to the health expert. In this article an attempt is made to fit compliance into Orem's 'self-care deficit theory of nursing'. Compliance is a part of self-care; noncompliance can be seen as a self-care deficit. In contrast with self-care, compliance is not always performed on behalf of maintaining health and well-being. Whereas a self-care deficit is always a threat to health and well-being non-compliance is not.