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The UK Expert Patients Program: Lessons learned and implications for cancer survivors’ self-care support programs

Wilson, Patricia M. (2008) The UK Expert Patients Program: Lessons learned and implications for cancer survivors’ self-care support programs. Journal of Cancer Survivorship, 2 (1). pp. 45-52. ISSN 1932-2259. (doi:10.1007/s11764-007-0040-z) (The full text of this publication is not currently available from this repository. You may be able to access a copy if URLs are provided) (KAR id:39075)

The full text of this publication is not currently available from this repository. You may be able to access a copy if URLs are provided.
Official URL:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s11764-007-0040-z

Abstract

Globally, the enablement of self-care is increasingly being recognised as an essential component of chronic disease management. Within the UK a key self-care policy initiative is the Expert Patients Program. Developed from the Chronic Disease Self-Management Program, this is a 6 week self-management education program for people with different chronic diseases, facilitated by lay volunteers. As an example of a major public health initiative designed to enhance self-management in long-term conditions, this paper draws on evaluations of the EPP and CDSMP and analyzes the implications for the development of similar programs for cancer survivors. There are a number of evaluations of the CDSMP which suggest significant improvement in participants’ chronic disease management self-efficacy and some evidence of healthcare utilization reduction. However, whilst the national evaluation of the EPP demonstrated similar improvements in self-efficacy and health status, there was no significant effect on healthcare utilization. Trials of such programs need to be treated with some caution as participants are often not typical of the general population, and as a complex intervention effectiveness is inherently difficult to assess. Qualitative evaluations revealed that the EPP’s strength was derived mainly through peer support and learning. Nevertheless, a number of contextual problems were identified including recruitment, clinicians’ lack of engagement with the program and inflexible course materials. Lay-led self-care support programs such as the EPP have a significantly positive effect on self-efficacy which could be of benefit to cancer survivors. However, a number of lessons should be learned from the EPP when developing similar initiatives for cancer survivors.

Item Type: Article
DOI/Identification number: 10.1007/s11764-007-0040-z
Subjects: R Medicine > RC Internal medicine > RC254 Neoplasms. Tumors. Oncology
Divisions: Divisions > Division for the Study of Law, Society and Social Justice > School of Social Policy, Sociology and Social Research > Centre for Health Services Studies
Depositing User: Tony Rees
Date Deposited: 08 Apr 2014 14:05 UTC
Last Modified: 16 Nov 2021 10:15 UTC
Resource URI: https://kar.kent.ac.uk/id/eprint/39075 (The current URI for this page, for reference purposes)

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