Chapter 6 : Patient education and self-management

Hammond, A; Niedermann, K

Abstract

Patient education is an essential additive intervention in the care of people with rheumatic diseases. Therapists’ professional codes of conduct emphasise the importance of ensuring patients are provided with adequate information to gain informed consent and enable informed choices about treatment. However, patient education goes beyond just providing information: targeting behaviour, beliefs and attitudes. It may be provided both formally and informally. In either case it should be planned and goal oriented, based on an assessment. Interventions should adopt theoretical models and not only apply educational and counseling methods but a psycho-educational approach. The goal of patient education is self-management, i.e. the patient is empowered and able to take responsibility for the day-to-day management of the illness. Patients are considered as partners in the whole education process. This chapter discusses the aims of patient education and self-management, relevant theories and a 7-step approach to enable the development, delivery and evaluation of patient education into clinical practice.

• Publication Date: Feb 1, 2010
• Deposit Date: Aug 26, 2020
• Pages: 77-97
• Book Title: Rheumatology: Evidence based Practice for Physiotherapists & Occupational Therapists
• ISBN: 9780443069345
• Publisher URL: https://www.uk.elsevierhealth.com/rheumatology-9780443069345.html
• Related Public URLs: https://www.uk.elsevierhealth.com/