title: Chronic disease self-management education programs: challenges ahead.
abstract: Chronic disease self-management education programs aim to empower patients through providing information and teaching skills and techniques to improve self-care and doctor-patient interaction, with the ultimate goal of improving quality of life. The recent 2006-07 federal budget allocated an unprecedented $515 million over 5 years for activation of patient self-management activities, commencing this financial year. Previous attempts in other countries to incorporate self-management education activities into the health care sector have faced setbacks because of inadequate integration into primary care. Engagement of health care professionals and their endorsement of self-management activities is critical to success.
authors.affiliation: Arthritis Foundation of Victoria Centre for Rheumatic Diseases, Department of Medicine, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
authors.forename: Joanne E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Jordan
authors.forename: Richard H
authors.initials: RH
authors.lastname: Osborne
mesh_terms: D001315:Australia; D002908:Chronic Disease / Q000628:therapy*; D003695:Delivery of Health Care / Q000379:methods*; D006291:Health Policy; D006801:Humans; D010353:Patient Education as Topic; D012648:Self Care