Self-management support in flemish primary care practice: the development of a preliminary conceptual model using a qualitative approach

Abstract

Background Coping with a chronic disease can be really challenging. Self-management represents a promising strategy to improve daily life experiences. The role of primary healthcare professionals cannot be underestimated in supporting self-management. Due to a shortage of theory, implementation of self-management support is hindered in primary care practice. The aim of this study is to create a conceptual model for self-management support by analysing patients’ care experiences towards self-management support. Methods An explorative-descriptive qualitative study was conducted in Flanders, Belgium. Semi-structured interviews were performed with 16 patients and their informal caregiver (dyads) using a purposive sampling strategy and processed by an inductive content analysis, according to Graneheim and Lundman. Results Interviews revealed in-depth insights into patients’ care experiences. A conceptual model was developed for primary care practice, including five fundamental tasks for healthcare professionals - Supporting, Involving, Listening, Coordinating and Questioning (SILCQ) – contributing to the support of self-management of chronic patients. Conclusions This qualitative paper emphasises the use of the SILCQ-model to develop optimal roadmaps and hands-on toolkits for healthcare professionals to support self-management. The model needs to be further explored by all stakeholders to support the development of self-management interventions in primary care practice.

Development of a toolkit to improve interprofessional collaboration and integration in primary care using qualitative interviews and co-design workshops

“…The semi-structured interviews were performed by MMS (PhD student) in two stages, using three different interview guides. (see Supplementary material ) This researcher was trained in qualitative research methods and performed previous qualitative research ( 42 – 44 ).…”

Self-management support (SMS) in primary care practice: a qualitative focus group study of care professionals’ experiences

“…According to the participants, support is ideally tailored to the goals, capabilities and needs of each patient. In a previous qualitative study, we developed a conceptual model, the SILCQ model, which describes ideal SMS from the patient perspective, based on dyadic interviews [15]. Five actions of care professionals are presented as fundamentals: the act of supporting, involving, listening, coordinating and asking questions to patients.…”

“…These skills are not innate and do result from a lifelong learning process and task [8]. Involving patients' care team, and fundamentally, the primary care professional, plays a crucial role in developing self-management skills [14,15]. More specifically, healthcare professionals can encourage and support patients to develop skills and knowledge needed to manage their condition effectively, and thus engage in self-management [16].…”

Transforming healthcare: A pilot study to improve primary healthcare professionals’ self- management support behaviour through blended learning

“…To evaluate reaction, the Short version of the User Experience Questionnaire (UEQ-S) was distributed immediately after the intervention, complemented by questions on general satisfaction with blended learning (using a modi ed version of a validated blended learning questionnaire (23)). In terms of learning, participants' selfperceived knowledge and skills related to self-management support were assessed immediately after, with a speci c focus on the SILCQ-fundamentals (24), using questions compiled by the research group. These questions included both statements and validations.…”