Journal Article

Self-management support and training for patients with chronic and complex conditions improves health-related behaviour and health outcomes

PW Harvey, J Fuller, P Holmes, K Warren, TN Cayetano, JN Petkov, MW Battersby, G Misan

2008

Overview

The Sharing Health Care SA chronic disease self management (CDSM) project in rural South Australia was designed to assist patients with chronic and complex conditions (diabetes, cardiovascular disease and arthritis) to learn how to participate more effectively in the management of their condition and to improve their self management skills. Participants with chronic and complex conditions were recruited into the Sharing Health Care SA program and offered a range of education and support options (including a 6 week, peer led, chronic disease, self management program) as part of the Enhanced Primary Care care planning process. Patient self reported data were collected at baseline and subsequent 6 month intervals using the Partners in Health (PIH) scale to assess self management skill and ability for 175 patients across four data collection points. Health providers also scored patient knowledge and self management skills using the same scale over the same intervals. Patients also completed a modified Stanford 2000 Health Survey for the same time intervals to assess service utilisation and health related lifestyle factors. Results show that both mean patient self reported PIH scores and mean health provider PIH scores for patients improved significantly over time, indicating that patients demonstrated improved understanding of their condition and improved their ability to manage and deal with their symptoms. These results suggest that involvement in peer led self management education programs has a positive effect on patient self management skill, confidence and health-related behaviour. (author abstract)

• Publisher: CSIRO
• Subject: Aged / Arthritis / Attitude to Health / Cardiovascular disease / Chronic Disease - therapy / Chronic illnesses / Chronically ill / Diabetes / Disease management / Education / Female / Health Behavior / Health care policy / Health promotion / Health services / Health Surveys / Humans / Lifestyles / Longitudinal Studies / Male / Management training / Managerial skills / Native peoples / Patient Education as Topic - methods / Patients / Rural population / Self Care / Self-care, Health / Skills / South Australia / Studies