The purpose of this study was to analyze and measure the short-term and long-term impacts of a chronic disease self-management program (CDSP) for individuals living with HIV/AIDS. This study was a follow-up study on an HIV/AIDS Organization in Southern California’s (HAOSC’s) CDSP programs in 2007 and 2008 called “Newly Empowered Women” (NEW), a six (6) week CDSP for women diagnosed with HIV/AIDS which sought to promote self-efficacy through education and self-management skills. A retrospective longitudinal study on the female clients who participated with this program in 2007 and 2008 determined whether clients retained the skills taught in the CDSP and if they attained self-efficacy through improved behavioral changes in better overall self-management that were influenced as a result of their participation. Behavioral changes were examined and measured in the areas of self-rated health, anxiety and stress, social activities, communication with physicians, and the client’s overall self-confidence in managing symptoms related to the disease. The measurement of change in these areas informed the study on the effectiveness and practicality of the skills being taught in the CDSP and their effectiveness in the promotion of self-efficacy. It also highlighted which skills seem to be most helpful and impactful to clients, and if the skills they learned were retained over time. The study measured the short-term impacts from completion of the CDSP to the 6-month follow-up period and also measured the long-term impacts the CDSP had on client health outcomes three (3) and four (4) years after the initial program was implemented to see if there was a correlation between increased self-efficacy and improved health outcomes. Participant CD4 and viral load counts were analyzed, as these are determinant biological markers in measuring the immunological impacts of the disease. Measuring these variables over time for individuals that were in a CDSP gave the study insight into the CDSP’s short-term and long-term effectiveness in the promotion and sustainment of self-efficacy for individuals living with HIV/AIDS and how the effective management of their chronic illness can lead to overall better health outcomes. Additionally, this study sought to better understand the experience of the women who participated in the CDSP through incorporating a mixed methods qualitative approach, by interviewing some of the women who had participated in the CDSP to identify common themes or lessons learned, best practices of the program, and areas for improvement.
Although this study was not able to show that changes in behavior and increased self-efficacy impact health outcomes, more complex analysis should be done in this area, as this study highlighted the positive impacts a CDSP can have on increasing self-management skills and promoting self-efficacy over the short-term and long-term for individuals diagnosed with HIV/AIDS.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:csusb.edu/oai:scholarworks.lib.csusb.edu:etd-1929 |
| Date | 01 June 2019 |
| Creators | Gomez, Adan |
| Publisher | CSUSB ScholarWorks |
| Source Sets | California State University San Bernardino |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | text |
| Format | application/pdf |
| Source | Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations |
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