Exploring the role of self-management programmes in caring for people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds in Melbourne, Australia.

BACKGROUND Chronic disease self-management programmes are now an important adjunct to the treatment and care of Australians with chronic illnesses. Most programmes are delivered in English and cater for 'Anglo' views of health and illness. The Peer-Led Self-Management of Chronic Illness Project was funded by the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) to test the hypothesis that the Stanford University Chronic Disease Self-Management Program would improve health outcomes for people from the Vietnamese, Greek, Chinese and Italian communities in Melbourne's north-eastern suburbs. OBJECTIVE To examine the extent to which the programme required modification so that the concepts associated with self-management programmes have relevance to the health behaviours of people with chronic illness from the above communities. METHODS Four focus groups facilitated in English, using interpreters. RESULTS There was wide understanding of the concepts employed in self-management programmes. Literacy problems emerged as the major obstacle to participating in unmodified programmes. CONCLUSION The conceptual aspects of the programme require less modification than originally predicted, but the programme requires sensitive modification so that it is accessible to people with low literacy levels.