International Center For

Self Care Research

The course will introduce the definitions, predictors, measurement, and outcomes of self-care in chronic illness. Literature from various disciplines will be used to provide a broadened perspective of the self care construct, theories and models and various issues that patients face when dealing with chronic illness
This course includes web lectures (streamed and recorded), tutorial groups, and seminars. Additionally there are both individual assignments and group activities.
Course leaders: Anna Strömberg, Tiny Jaarsma and online guest lectures from Barbara Riegel.
The course is organized by Linköping University
The course gives 5 ECT (5 HP)
Registration at https://tinyurl.com/onlineselfcarecourse2023. Or send an email to nora.ostrup@liu.se
Some quotes from previous students:

‘I learned a lot and like the mix of web lectures, groupwork and seminars.’

‘The course has helped me with my research and provided me with new outlook on my research area.’

In February 2022 the Tel Aviv University School of Nursing offered a 10-week self-care course called ‘Self-care in Chronic Illness from a Multidisciplinary Perspective’. The aim of the course is to learn more about definitions, theories, interventions, measurement, and outcomes of self-care in chronic illness. During lectures, web-lectures, home assignments, and group-work, master and doctoral students discuss various aspects of self-care with Professor Tiny Jaarsma.

Because of chronic diseases, patients are at risk of lower quality of life, families have to manage complex situations, and health systems have to face increasing expenses. Evidence shows that adequate self-care improves chronic disease outcomes such as mortality, quality of life and inappropriate re-hospitalizations. Professor Riegel gave the keynote address on June 16, 2021.

The Seventh Conference, themed ‘From Evidence to Impact: Co-designing Care for Future’, aimed to strengthen or intensify the significance and impact of research evidence to improve health and social care management and outcomes in national and global contexts. Professor Riegel gave the keynote address on May 28, 2021 on the topic of self-care.

Linköping University in Sweden offered their self-care course to 20 students from varied backgrounds from Sweden, US, Iran, Italy, China, and Denmark. The three week course was offered online with live Zoom lectures, group work, virtual seminars and working groups with an international faculty. Professors Jaarsma and Stromberg led the course in September, 2020. Linkoping University runs the Self-Care Course every 2 or 3 years. We anticipate running this course again in 2023.

The Center was inaugurated in 2019 with an invitational conference held at the Australian Catholic University’s Rome campus. Our conference discussion is summarized in this publication: Riegel B, Dunbar SB, Fitzsimons D, Freedland K, Lee CS, Middleton S, Stromberg A, Webber D, Vellone E, Jaarsma T. Self-care research: Where are we now? Where are we going? International Journal of Nursing Studies, 2021.