Better Choices, Better Health – Chronic Disease (Online Chronic Disease Self-Management Program – CDSMP) (Title III-D Program)

The Chronic Disease Self-Management Program (CDSMP), developed by the Stanford Patient Education Research Center, was designed for individuals with various chronic diseases. It aims to help individuals gain self-confidence in their ability to control their symptoms and the effects of health problems on their lives.

Small-group, highly interactive workshops, generally six weeks long, are held once a week for about two hours. They are facilitated by two trained leaders, one or both of whom are non-health professionals with a chronic disease themselves. People with different chronic health problems attend together.

  • Program Goals:
  • -Enable participants to build self-confidence to take part in maintaining their health and managing their chronic health conditions, such as hypertension, arthritis, heart disease, stroke, lung disease, and diabetes

 

  • Target Audience:
  • -Adults with chronic health conditions who are comfortable using a computer and checking email

 

  • Program Description:
  • -On-line interactive version of the Chronic Disease Self-Management Program (CDSMP)
  • -2 hours per week for 6 weeks
  • -Participants log on at their convenience 2-3 times per week for a total of about 2 hours per week. Participants do not need to log on at the same time.
  • -Program is offered on a dedicated website utilizing discussion boards and weekly lessons
  • -Approximately 25 people per workshop. All interactions between facilitator and participants take place online
  • -All information is private and anonymous

 

  • Program Delivery:
  • -Two trained peer facilitators per workshop
  • -Facilitators follow a script and assist participants by modeling action planning and problem solving, offering encouragement, and posting to discussion boards
  • -Facilitators do not deliver content, which differs from the small-group program

 

Contact information

Reference Material

  • Loring, K.R., Sobel, D.D., Stewart, A.L., Brown, B.W., Ritter, P.L., González, V.M., Laurent, D.D., & Holman H.R. (1999). Evidence suggesting that a chronic disease self-management program can improve health status while reducing utilization and costs: A randomized trial. Medical Care, 37(1), 5-14.

 

  • Lorig, K.R., Ritter, P.L., Stewart, A.L., Sobel, D.S., Brown, B.W., Bandura, A., González, V.M., Laurent, D.D., & Holman, H.R. (2001). Chronic Disease Self-Management Program: 2-year health status and health care utilization outcomes. Medical Care, 39(11), 1217-1223.