Patient Education and Self-Care

Lowell S. Levin

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DOI: 10.2190/BQLK-B0VB-E98Y-WM2G

Abstract

This author clarifies the philosophical, strategic, and operational differences between patient education as traditionally practiced and self-care education as a relatively new initiative. The essential and most fundamental distinction has to do with lows of control in health care. Patient education generally accepts the role of the patient, as a recipient of services where compliance to appropriate, professionally defined health care regimens is a valued outcome. Self-care education, in contrast, attempts to build an individual s capacity to self-diagnose, self-tract, and in general self-sustain their health. Patient education views people as health consumers; self-care views people as "prosumers," both consumers and self-providers. Self-care education places the individual primarily on the supply side of the health care equation with important consequences for the professional care system, the individual, and the community.

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This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License.