Patient Education Can Improve Chronic Disease Management

FRIDAY, Dec. 7, 2018 (HealthDay News) — An educational intervention can improve patients’ ability to self-manage their chronic diseases, according to a study published in the November issue of the Journal of the American Osteopathic Association.

Alexis M. Stoner, M.P.H., Ph.D., from Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine-Carolinas Campus in Spartanburg, South Carolina, and colleagues examined whether patients who participate in The Other 45, which allows second-year osteopathic medical students to provide chronic disease education to patients for 45 minutes in addition to a typical 15-minute office visit, have improved ability to manage their chronic diseases and health outcomes. Students completed a preclinic and postclinic survey measuring patient-centered care, clinical confidence, and medical/teaching knowledge.

Forty-seven patients and 69 students participated in the study. At a three-week follow-up visit, researchers found significant improvements in patients’ skill and technique acquisition, constructive attitudes and approaches, and health services navigation as measured by the Health Education Impact Questionnaire; at the three-month follow-up visit, the researchers observed significant improvement in self-monitoring and insight. Survey results also revealed significant improvement in patients’ positive and active engagement in life and emotional well-being at the three-week and three-month follow-up visits, respectively. As a result of participating in the program, students improved significantly in the domains of patient-centered care, clinical confidence, and medical/teaching knowledge.

“The Other 45 was effective in improving patients’ self-reported outcomes, as well as improving future physicians’ ability to relate to and educate their patients with chronic disease,” the authors write.

Abstract/Full Text