Abstract:
As self-management support is a cost-effective way to enable patients to
take an active role in managing their own condition and to address the chronic
disease burden, there is a need for contextually appropriate self-management
support tools. This study explored the feasibility of using a contextually adapted
self-management care-plan booklet for diabetes and hypertension for use in medical
consultations in a middle-income country. Focus groups and individual interviews
with patients and health care providers were conducted in three primary
health care facilities. Four relevant focus areas for feasibility studies were used as
the lens for data analysis: acceptability, demand, implementation, practicality. The
study revealed a high acceptance of the care-plan booklet by both patients and
providers. Patients reported that the booklet increased their knowledge of their
conditions. They also indicated that they would share the booklet with friends and
families and expressed the need to use it with their providers. Providers mentioned
that community health workers and health promoters could play an important role in implementing the tool. The findings of this study contribute to the knowledge
base needed for the development and adoption of the self-management component
of the South African integrated chronic diseases model. The care-plan booklet
can be used to stimulate the interaction between patients, providers and/or family
and friends.
