Calls for Papers (special): International Journal of User-Driven Healthcare (IJUDH)

Special Issue On: Self-Management of Chronic Diseases

Submission Due Date
1/1/2012

Guest Editors
Anita Kotwani

Introduction
Chronic diseases are diseases of long duration and generally slow progression. Chronic diseases such as heart diseases, stroke, cancer, chronic respiratory diseases and diabetes are by far the leading cause of mortality in the world, representing 60% of all deaths. Of these, 72% were estimated to have occurred in developing countries. There is increasing evidence to suggest that the epidemiologic transition is well underway in less industrialized countries and chronic diseases are on rise in developing countries as well.

Chronic diseases have multidimensional impact on the community as well as on individuals and nations and require a lot of healthcare resources. International guidelines clearly state that the aim of management of chronic diseases is to achieve and maintain control. For most of the chronic diseases like hypertension, diabetes, asthma, and hyperlipidemia medicines are available for control and maintenance. Pharmaceutical therapy is most effective if patients use medicines regularly, but problems exist in long term use of these medicines. Patients generally stop medicines once the acute phase is over, they become symptom free or the blood levels (in case of sugar and lipids) come within normal range. Therefore, another very important measure in treating chronic diseases is to optimise self-management. Self management of chronic diseases is an integral component of treatment and doctors must give equal importance to this aspect apart from prescribing medicines to patients for chronic diseases. Patients are equal partners in management of their disease but need to be educated by doctors or medical staff for self-management. Outcomes of medical management in patients with chronic illness are determined not only by objective factors but also by behaviour and social factors. Illness perceptions and low-control beliefs are associated with difficult-to-treat chronic illnesses. The implications of such findings are increasingly important and are incorporated into guidelines for management and translated into written action plans and self-management instructions.

Objective
The special issue will focus on the rational and importance of self-management of chronic illnesses in treating and control of chronic diseases. Evidence-based data will be presented in the form of case studies, baseline surveys and interventions studies in support of self-management of chronic diseases.

Recommended Topics
Topics to be discussed in this special issue include (but are not limited to) the following:

• Are doctors imparting any education or action plan to patients for their chronic diseases?
• Burden of chronic diseases
• General practitioners knowledge about self-management of chronic illnesses
• Illness perception by patients in relation to any chronic disease
• Patient self-management of acute asthma/diabetes/or any chronic illness
• Patient’s perspective: Adherence or non-adherence to therapy for chronic illnesses
• Role of self-management in chronic diseases
• Self-regulation and self-management in asthma, diabetes, hypertension, etc.

Submission Procedure
Researchers and practitioners are invited to submit papers for this special theme issue on Self-Management of Chronic Diseases on or before January 1, 2012. All submissions must be original and may not be under review by another publication. INTERESTED AUTHORS SHOULD CONSULT THE JOURNAL’S GUIDELINES FOR MANUSCRIPT SUBMISSIONS at http://www.igi-global.com/Files/AuthorEditor/guidelinessubmission.pdf.  All submitted papers will be reviewed on a double-blind, peer review basis. Papers must follow APA style for reference citations.

All submissions and inquiries should be directed to the attention of:
Dr. Anita Kotwani
E-mail: anitakotwani@gmail.com

Special Issue On: Information Therapy: Empowered Patient and Public Involvement 

Submission Due Date
1/30/2012

Guest Editors
Dr. Gavgani Vahideh Z.

Introduction
Patient and public involvement in healthcare decision making is increasingly becoming a crucial issue in healthcare setting, globally. Making evidence-based and accurate health information available for patient and public ensures an empowered, active and informed involvement. There are various approaches for making the patient and public involvement an informed and strong and effective practice such as Information therapy, clinical governance, patient safety,   the popularization of medicine, medical mobilization, patient education and patient empowerments. Information therapy described as evidence-based information prescription to right person at right time to help him\her make a right medical decision or change behavior can be the best practice for an informed and active patient involvement. Information therapy is not limited to only a specific patient when the addresses are public with the same problem. When information  is prescribed to specific patient with specific cases and personalized to just specific case that is called Information Prescription (IPs) but when it is disseminated to public and a group of patients it is Information Therapy (Ix) and meets the side of public involvement.  Therefore, information therapy is an umbrella term that covers all the approaches and programs related to making the  patient and public health literate and responsible member of healthcare system.

Objective
It is believed that the quality of life is the critical issue of the current century. The free flow of accurate information ensures that every citizen will have access to right information at right time in information sharing era to improve quality of his\her and the loved one’s life. The objectives of this issue are bringing in the light the research works related to Information Therapy in practice and theory. It focuses on all the topics related to patient and public involvement.

Recommended Topics
Topics to be discussed in this special issue include (but are not limited to) the following:

• Clinical governance
• Evidence based medicine in relation to information and patient care
• Information prescription stages and steps
• Information prescription,  the dose of information, and the quality and quantity of information
• Information therapy: theory and practice
• Information therapy and patient safety
• Information therapy and risk management in medical practice
• Patient and public involvement
• Patient care
• Patient education through information prescription
• Patient information guidelines
• Patient reflections
• Popularization of medical knowledge
• Role of information in patient empowerment

Submission Procedure
Researchers and practitioners are invited to submit papers for this special theme issue on Information Therapy: Empowered Patient and Public Involvement on or before January 30, 2012. All submissions must be original and may not be under review by another publication. INTERESTED AUTHORS SHOULD CONSULT THE JOURNAL’S GUIDELINES FOR MANUSCRIPT SUBMISSIONS at http://www.igi-global.com/Files/AuthorEditor/guidelinessubmission.pdf.  All submitted papers will be reviewed on a double-blind, peer review basis. Papers must follow APA style for reference citations.

All submissions and inquiries should be directed to the attention of:
Dr. Gavgani Vahideh Z.
E-mail: vgavgani@gmail.com