The following is a summary of “Characteristics of self-management education and support programmes for people with chronic diseases delivered by primary care teams: a rapid review,” published in the January 2024 issue of Primary Care by Allory, et al.

Primary care is crucial in facilitating access to Self-Management Education and Support (SMES) programs for individuals with chronic diseases. For a study, researchers sought to explore various dimensions of SMES programs in primary care settings, including program models, team composition, and participant characteristics.

A mixed-methods rapid review was conducted by searching the PubMed and Cochrane Library databases for articles published between January 1, 2013, and December 31, 2021. The review focused on SMES programs in primary care related to diabetes, cancer, cardiovascular disease, and respiratory chronic diseases. Studies were assessed using the Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool, and the results were reported following PRISMA guidelines.

About 68 studies met the inclusion criteria. Among them, 46 described the SMES program model, focusing predominantly on organizational dimensions (n = 24). The Chronic Care Model was commonly used (n = 9), while only three studies described multi-dimensional models. SMES teams typically consisted of two healthcare providers, primarily nurses, with limited involvement of community actors. Participants were especially individuals with single chronic diseases and only 20% of programs addressed multimorbidity. The study did not assess SMES program outcomes due to database limitations.

The study revealed limited engagement of community actors and infrequent consideration of multimorbidity in SMES programs despite recommendations for a more interdisciplinary approach. There is a need for improvement in the development of SMES programs in primary care, particularly in promoting the involvement of nurses. The findings underscored areas for enhancement in SMES program design and implementation to address better the needs of individuals with chronic diseases in primary care settings.

Reference: bmcprimcare.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12875-024-02262-2