Self-Management

In Australia, the National Chronic Disease Strategy has been established to give national policy directions in improving chronic disease prevention as well as care all over Australia. In addition, it is nationally agreed agenda in encouraging coordinated action in response to the growing effect of chronic disease on the health of Australians and their health care system.
The National Chronic Disease Strategy gives a model to strengthen the capacity of Australia to meet the challenges which arise from increasing prevalence of chronic disease in Australia. The NCDS seeks to enhance health outcomes and decrease the effect of these diseases on Australian individuals, communities, families and society (Australian Health Ministries Conference, 2005).
NCDS do this by giving an overarching model of agreed national path for enhancing chronic disease prevention and care all over Australia. As mentioned, one of these strategies is known as self-management. Accordingly, self-management is referred to an approach in which an individual with a chronic disease do to manage and control their well-being and health. It has been widely defined as involving the person with the chronic illness working in relation with their caregivers and families as well as health professionals so that they can identify their condition and different treatment options, to engage these individuals with activities which protect and promote health, to negotiate health plan of care which include care plan, monitor/review plan, evaluate and manage the signs and symptoms of the chronic condition, manage the effect of the condition inline with the physical functioning, interpersonal relationships and emotions and has confidence in the ability of the individuals to use support services provided by the government (Lorig, Gonzales & Laurent, 2006). The overall objective of self-management is to enable people to be informed and become and active participants in their health care and to sustain health and prevent or make the progression of their chronic disease slower (WAGP Network, 2008).
The program of self-management as well as interventions composes of various activities which are supported by peer leaders and professionals and aims to attain the improvement in individual’s healthy life style behaviours, improvement of the person’s health status and the reduction in unplanned utilisation of health service. Furthermore, self-management approached also enable people to have an improved life control and activity, enhanced resourcefulness and satisfaction of life, enhanced communications with the healthcare provides especially with their physicians and improved quality in terms of their relationship with their doctor. Moreover, self-management improves the capacity of the people to take full responsibility for their own health, generate informed decisions as well as undertake the health actions which maximises quality of life and well-being.