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Self-management education: History, definition, outcomes, and mechanisms

  • Published:
Annals of Behavioral Medicine

Abstract

Self-management has become a popular term for behavioral interventions as well as for healthful behaviors. This is especially true for the management of chronic conditions. This article offers a short history of self-management. It presents three self-management tasks—medical management, role management, and emotional management—and six self-management skills—problem solving, decision making, resource utilization, the formation of a patient-provider partnership, action planning, and self-tailoring. In addition, the article presents evidence of the effectiveness of self-management interventions and posits a possible mechanism, self-efficacy, through which these interventions work. In conclusion the article discusses problems and solutions for integrating self-management education into the mainstream health care systems.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Stanford University School of Medicine, USA

    Kate R. Lorig Dr.P.H. & Halsted R. Holman M.D.

Authors
  1. Kate R. Lorig Dr.P.H.
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  2. Halsted R. Holman M.D.
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Kate R. Lorig Dr.P.H..

Additional information

This study was supported by National Institute of Nursing Research Grant 5 RO1 NR04438.

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Lorig, K.R., Holman, H.R. Self-management education: History, definition, outcomes, and mechanisms. ann. behav. med. 26, 1–7 (2003). https://doi.org/10.1207/S15324796ABM2601_01

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1207/S15324796ABM2601_01

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