Innovative care and self-care strategies for people with chronic diseases in Latin America

Objectives. To identify innovative strategies for improved care and self-care of patients with chronic diseases (CD) in Latin America and to explore interest in creating a Latin American network of professionals in this field. Methods. A descriptive study based on a survey of key experts with recognized national or regional leadership in CD patient care. The 25-question questionnaire sought information on their experiences with care and self-care initiatives for CD patients, descriptions of successful initiatives, the perceived ability of countries to innovate in this area, their interest in participating in a network of Latin American professionals in this field, and more. Content analysis was performed to develop recommendations for the Region. Results. Responses were obtained from 17 (37.8%) of the 45 experts approached; 82.4% confirmed their knowledge of of involvement with an innovative initiative related to the subject. Initial development does exist in each of the three innovative strategy types: peer care, informal caregivers, and telenursing, the latter being the least explored. There is real interest in forming a Latin American network that focuses on development of innovative self-care strategies for CD patients. Conclusions. Support for a joint network is promising. Priorities are building skills in this area and developing innovative proposals for improved CD patient care in the Region. Innovative measures should be complementary and adapted to the specific context of each scenario.