Journal of epidemiology and community health
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J Epidemiol Community Health · Mar 2007
Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter StudyThe effectiveness and cost effectiveness of a national lay-led self care support programme for patients with long-term conditions: a pragmatic randomised controlled trial.
Supporting patients' self care could have a major effect on the management of long-term conditions, which has led to worldwide interest in effective self care interventions. In England, self care support is being developed through the "Expert Patients Programme", which provides lay-led generic courses to improve patients' self care skills. However, the clinical and cost effectiveness of such courses remains unclear. ⋯ Lay-led self care support groups are effective in improving self-efficacy and energy levels among patients with long-term conditions, and are likely to be cost effective over 6 months at conventional values of a decision-maker's willingness to pay. They may be a useful addition to current services in the management of long-term conditions.