title: A systematic review of the literature on self-management interventions and discussion of their potential relevance for people living with HIV in sub-Saharan Africa.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study systematically reviews the literature on self-management interventions provided by health care teams, community partners, patients and families and discusses the potential relevance of these interventions for people living with HIV in sub-Saharan Africa.
  
  
  METHODS
  We searched major databases for literature published between 1995 and 2012. 52 studies were included in this review.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The review found very few studies covering people living with HIV and generally inconclusive evidence to inform the development of chronic care policy and practice in sub-Saharan Africa.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Chronic care models and self-management interventions for sub-Saharan Africa has not been a research priority. Furthermore, the results question the applicability of these models and interventions in sub-Saharan Africa. There is a need for studies to fill this gap in view of the rapidly increasing number of people needing chronic care services in Africa.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The established practices for long-term support for HIV patients are still the most valid basis for promoting self-management. This will be the case until there are more studies which assess those practices and their effect on self-management outcomes and other studies which assess the utility and feasibility of applying chronic care models that have been developed in high-income countries.
authors.affiliation: Athena Institute for Research on Innovation and Communication in Health and Life Sciences, Faculty of Earth and Life Sciences, VU University Amsterdam, The Netherlands; ETC Foundation, The Netherlands. Electronic address: c.j.aantjes@vu.nl.
authors.forename: Carolien J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Aantjes
authors.affiliation: Athena Institute for Research on Innovation and Communication in Health and Life Sciences, Faculty of Earth and Life Sciences, VU University Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Lotte
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Ramerman
authors.affiliation: Athena Institute for Research on Innovation and Communication in Health and Life Sciences, Faculty of Earth and Life Sciences, VU University Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Joske F G
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Bunders
mesh_terms: D017954:Africa South of the Sahara; D002908:Chronic Disease / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D015438:Health Behavior; D006296:Health Services / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D011788:Quality of Life; D012648:Self Care / Q000379:methods* / Q000523:psychology
keywords: Chronic conditions; HIV; Self-management; Systematic review; WHO framework