From participant to completer: Understanding completion rates among older adults in the chronic disease self- management program

We analyze the completion patterns in the Chronic Disease Self-Management Program (CDSMP), an evidence-based health promotion program funded through the Communities Putting Prevention to Work: Chronic Disease Self-Management Program by the Administration for Community Living (ACL) in collaboration with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). CDSMP is a community-based program that helps participants self-manage their chronic conditions on their own to improve the quality of life and reduce utilization of more expansive types of health care. Using administrative data, we find that (1) participants with depression are much less likely to complete the program, but the opposite is true for participants with hypertension and osteoporosis; (2) participants are much more likely to complete in small classes (i.e., less than 6 participants); (3) completion rates are the lowest at residential facilities and highest at faith-based organizations (followed by area agencies on aging and senior centers); (4) completion rates are higher if the two workshop leaders previously worked together; (5) grantee characteristics (e.g., lead agency, oversight & delivery structure, and funding history) play a significant role; and (5) there are significant differences in completion rates among racial and ethnic groups as well as age categories. These findings can help program administrators and policy makers revise the CDSMP model and improve efficiency, outreach, and success of the program.