Researchers Warn Critical ‘Self-Care’ Programs for Australian Patients Need Careful Implementation

Media Release, Friday 17 November 2006

Following a $500 million combined federal and state funding injection into chronic disease prevention and management activities over the next five years, health researchers at the University of Melbourne are urging policy makers to take a closer look at programs in US and the UK to identify how to best manage similar programs in Australia.

Public health researcher Dr Richard Osborne along with University of Melbourne Department of Medicine Research Fellow, Joanne Jordan recently co-authored a viewpoint article for the Medical Journal of Australia recommending key factors vital to the success and sustainability of patient self-care programs.

Self-care programs are designed to aid the wellbeing of patients suffering chronic disease, which now contributes to over 70% of the total disease burden in Australia, a figure that is expected to increase to 80% by 2020.

Arthritis, diabetes, and other chronic disease sufferers can benefit from these health education programs, which aim to equip patients with skills and techniques required for certain levels of self-care. They address such day-to-day issues as pain management, emotional wellbeing and social integration.

Dr Osborne says health care professionals hold the key to making the programs work.

“GPs and other healthcare workers are really at the coal-face – looking after the millions of chronically-ill patients who could benefit. It’s essential that the government engage these professionals to counter the growing burden chronic illnesses place on our health system,” he said.

Co author Joanne Jordan believes the viability of such programs in Australia will depend on lessons learned from educational interventions in other countries.

“To get enough participants to make self-care programs sustainable, it’s absolutely vital that medical professionals who deal with chronically-ill patients are aware of them and can make referrals,” Joanne Jordan said.

“Self-care programs in other countries have failed because of inadequate integration into primary care.”

According to Dr Osborne, self-care programs have the potential to produce clinically significant benefits ranging from reduced blood pressure in hypertension patients to blood sugar control in diabetes patients.

“The chronically-ill can spend as little as 1% of their time under medical supervision, leaving many to face the challenges of their illness on their own or with their carer.”

“When administered well, self-care program have clear clinical benefits for this group,” Dr Osborne said.

Dr Richard Osborne leads a team at the Centre for Rheumatic Diseases, University of Melbourne. He has conducted an extensive research program on chronic disease self-management education programs over several years and works in close collaboration with State and Federal governments.

The recommendations are informed by Joanne Jordan who recently completed an international policy review on trends in chronic disease self-management education programs as part of a broader research program looking at future directions for chronic disease self-management in Australia.

The rapid online publication is available at http://www.mja.com.au/public/issues/186_01_010107/jor10642_fm.html