Introduction

Skills for Chronic Disease Management

The Health Literacy Study Circles + Guides consist of two parts. The first is a separate book titled: Introduction: Overview, Planning, and Facilitation Tips. The second is the Facilitator’s Guide, prepared in notebook format, containing all the information needed for each of the three Health Literacy Study Circles + . The three Health Literacy Study Circle + Guides in the series are: Skills for Health Care Access and Navigation, Skills for Chronic Disease Management, and Skills for Disease Prevention and Screening.

Introduction: Overview, Planning, and Facilitation Tips has been structured for use with all three Health Literacy Study Circles + . This book accompanies all Study Circle + Guides, provides background information about each of the three study circles, and offers important guidelines for planning, organization, and facilitation. Please read this book first, in full.

The Facilitator’s Guide: Skills for Chronic Disease Management, in notebook format, contains six booklets. The first of the six is titled Overview and Preparation for Session One. This booklet offers an overview of Skills for Chronic Disease Management, study circle variations, details related to preparation for Session One, and materials to be sent out before Session One.

Each session booklet offers a step-by-step guide for conducting the session activities with needed time indicated. A copy of all of the materials needed for each session is provided as well. These materials, in loose leaf format, consist of mailings to participants, background readings, handouts in the session, and information and tools needed for work between sessions. The following bulleted list offers an overview of each session.

• Session One: Introduction to Health Literacy and Skills for Chronic Disease Management
  Participants develop a shared definition of “health literacy,” discuss different types of health-related activities, and identify barriers that make it difficult for people to complete those activities. Participants also prepare to conduct a needs assessment activity with their students. After Session One, participants conduct a needs assessment with their students.

• Session Two: Identifying Skills for Chronic Disease Management Tasks and Underlying Skills
  Participants review the results of the needs assessment activity and compile a list of specific health tasks and underlying skills that can be addressed with their classes. Participants also review and prepare to teach sample health literacy lessons between Sessions Two and Three.

• Session Three: Integrating Health Literacy Skills into Instruction
  Participants evaluate the experience of teaching sample lessons and define key health literacy skills that they will focus on in their programs. They also begin to create new health literacy lessons and consider what a health literacy unit would look like. After Session Three, participants complete and teach their own health literacy lessons and develop outlines for health literacy units.

• Session Four: Planning Lessons, Units, and Evaluations
  Participants share their teaching experience and consider health literacy units. They also consider how to define and measure their students’ health literacy skills. After Session Four, participants use a planning template to outline the design and evaluation of health literacy units.

• Session Five: Developing Strategies for Success
  Participants share and analyze their plans and consider how they will incorporate health literacy skill development into their programs. They identify barriers, supports, and strategies for such work. Study circle participants also identify ways they can stay in contact and work together in the future.