RAPID RESPONSES FROM BMJ.COM

doi:10.1136/bmjusa.01020003

BMJ, doi: 10.1136/bmjusa.01020003, (Published 5 September 2002)

Letters

RAPID RESPONSES FROM BMJ.COM

Self management plans: Not a sticking plaster to be applied uniformly

We need to recognize the fundamental validity of the patient's experience

A wider concept of self management is needed

The first 150 words of the full text of this article appear below.

This article originally appeared in BMJ USA

The paper by Jones et al provoked a spirited response on bmj.com. As of January 13, 11 e-letters had been posted in responseto the paper, three of which are published below (in whole orin part). $---$ Editor, BMJ USA

Self management plans: Not a sticking plaster to be applied uniformly

EDITOR $---$ The article by Jones et al suggesting that there is widespread dissatisfaction with the concept of self managementplans is thought provoking. However, the sweeping conclusionsare difficult to justify. "We found that many patients with mildto moderate asthma . . .," they say, although they used a sampleof only 32 patients, 12 of whom were deliberately selected asbeing clearly noncompliant. I can certainly think of examplesin which patients have been clearly helped by the provision ofwritten self management plans. Perhaps, therefore, I should addbalance to the debate by making the statement that many patientswith mild to moderate asthma find . . . [Full text of this article]