Pre-post effectiveness evaluation of Chronic Disease Self-Management Program (CDSMP) participation on health, well-being and health service utilization

Abstract

ObjectivesThe Chronic Disease Self-Management Program (CDSMP) is a standardized self-management intervention for patients with various chronic diseases. CDSMP provides self-management skills to enhance patient health, well-being, and coping skills. The present study evaluates the effectiveness of CDSMP delivered in routine clinical services on health, health behaviors and healthcare utilization in patients with various chronic illnesses.MethodsA pragmatic single group pre-post design evaluated the effectiveness of the CDSMP in an Irish cohort using self-report data collected by service providers in hospital, community health and patient organizations. Data on health, health behavior and healthcare utilization were collected at baseline ( n = 263), immediately post-program ( n = 102), and six months ( n = 81) after enrollment.ResultsCDSMP participants reported statistically significant increases in activity levels, self-efficacy, energy and quality of life, and a significant decrease in depression scores at six months follow-up. There was a significant decrease in self-reported visits to the GP and in total nights spent in hospital.DiscussionThis national pre–post study provides preliminary evidence for the potential effectiveness of CDSMP delivered during routine care in improving important health outcomes and reducing health care utilization among a heterogeneous sample of chronic disease patients.