Lessons learned: Community based participatory research to implement a chronic disease self-management program

Chronic disease management continues to be a clinical and community burden. In rural communities there are few if any places to refer individuals with chronic diseases for self-management. Finding a program that can be lead by peer leaders and sustained by community organizations who will adopt it as part of their mission can address what may seem as insurmountable lack of community resources. Study purpose: (1) Identify,implement and disseminate best practice guideline(s)to medical and community organizations (2) Identify partners that ensure sustainability of a chronic disease self-management program (3) Identify a community champion to disseminate the program. Methodology: County–wide surveys were administered to medical and community organizations to begin to identify and prioritize best practice guideline(s) for implementation. Focused interviews with key community stakeholders, public health nurses, physicians, and health advisory boards were conducted to further establish the priorities and needs of specific communities. Results: The results demonstrated the need for a self-management program for those with various diseases - hence an evidence-based chronic disease self-management program was selected for implementation. While the initial implementation was slow, the local Area Agency on Aging received grant dollars to disseminate the program to a 7 county region, and is now identified as the local community champion with plans to partner with key community agencies. Conclusions: Three factors are critical for community adoption, dissemination and sustainability of CSDMPs: 1)promoting a community based participatory approach; 2) fostering a community champion; and 3) matching programmatic activities with community priorities.