Expanding the Reach of Chronic Disease Self-Management

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Submission Date: December 2008

State/Territory Submitted on the Behalf of: West Virginia

States/Territories Involved: West Virginia

Domain Addressed:

Community-Clinical Linkages

Public Health Issue:

  • Rates of many chronic diseases are higher in West Virginia than most other states and U.S. territories.
  • Because people live longer, more of them are dealing with chronic conditions that require long- term management outside clinic settings – in homes and communities.
  • Chronic disease self-management programs are a proven method for improving quality of life and reducing disability from chronic diseases such as diabetes and arthritis.

Program Action:

  • The Chronic Disease Self-Management Program is an evidence-based program which teaches people the skills they need to control their chronic condition.
  • Although the program traditionally requires training on-site at Stanford University where the program was developed, Stanford authorized West Virginia’s Marshall University to hold an in- state Master Training. This provided a unique opportunity to engage 16 new partners in widening the reach of the program, including West Virginia Bureau of Senior Services, West Virginia University Center on Aging, Thomas Memorial Hospital, Boone County Health Department, Bluestone Health Association, West Virginia Primary Care Association, West Virginia Office of Health Service Research/Diabetes Prevention and Control, Change Incorporated, Family Medical Care, and Senior Services of West Virginia.
  • The Program is now implemented in West Virginia as “Help Yourself” and is provided with the assistance of the West Virginia Diabetes Prevention and Control program partners, clinic staff, and community/lay leaders.
  • A toolkit developed using the responses from interviews with trained leaders and a Web site provide a method for tracking program use and sharing resources. (www.wvhelpyourself.org)

Impact/Accomplishments:

  • Wider availability of the program is enhanced by increasing the capacity to train leaders within the state.
  • Over 1000 people with chronic diseases such as diabetes and arthritis have been reached with a program proven to improve quality of life and prevent disability and other costly complications.
  • Time and money are saved by sharing program implementation tasks among a group of partners.
  • A toolkit for rural communities now supports rural leaders in conducting self-management workshops for hard-to-reach populations.

Program Areas:

Healthy Communities (general)

State Contact Information:

WV
Gina Wood
West Virginia Bureau for Public Health
304-558-1702
Gina.L.Wood@wv.gov

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