Regional evaluation of a self-management tool for people living with long-term conditions: a participatory approach

MyLifeTool (www.mylifetool.co.uk) is a pan-condition, co-produced, self-management tool underpinned by our self-management framework (Kilinc et al 2020). An alternative to medical, rehab-based models, the tool encourages a constant reflective process, enhancing biopsychosocial well-being, aligned with a person-centred self-management approach. It has shown a positive impact with people across a range of long-term conditions (LTCs), such as diabetes, asthma and hypertension.

We conducted a large-scale, twelve-month, regional evaluation of MyLifeTool and explored the experience of using MyLifeTool as an integrative, biopsychosocial approach to self-management. Following a participatory approach, eight people with long-term conditions (PwLTC) worked as co-investigators (peer researcher associates) in design, delivery, analysis and dissemination.

MyLifeTool significantly increased people’s ability to self-manage their LTC, by meeting their holistic needs in a person-centred manner.

MyLifeTool can:
• Improve psychosocial well-being
• Increase self-efficacy in the self-management of LTC
• Facilitate personal growth and acceptance of living with an LTC
• Decrease the sense of engulfment from living with an LTC
• Enhance empowerment
• Increase pacing ability
• Promote positive self-management behaviours and skills
• Enable reflective practice and recognition of a person’s strengths