This open access book is a valuable resource for students in health and other professions and practicing professionals interested in supporting effective change in self-management behaviors in chronic disease, such as medication taking, physical activity and healthy eating.
Developed under the auspices of the Train4Health project, funded by the Erasmus+ program of the European Union, the book contains six chapters written by international contributors from different disciplines. Chapter one introduces the competencies necessary for delivering effective behavior change support, based on an established program of work, and related learning outcomes. The four following chapters describe how these competencies can be acquired, focusing on concepts and theories, assessing self-management behaviors, implementing change strategies and person-centered communication, using a practical approach. The last chapter points out supplementary learning resources, developed as part of the Train4Health project.
Mara Pereira Guerreiro obtained her PhD in Pharmaceutical Sciences from the University of Manchester (UK). She held a senior post at the Nursing School of Lisbon, Portugal, where she led research and innovation projects in the field of digital health and education, including Train4Health, funded by the Erasmus+ programme of the European Union. More recently, she took a post of Associate Professor at Egas Moniz University, Portugal.
Isa Raquel Brito Santos Pereira Félix has a PhD in Nursing (University of Lisbon, Portugal). She is an early career investigator in the Nursing School of Lisbon. Her research is focused on the application of behavioral science to the development of interventions to support self-care of people with chronic health conditions, using both digital and non-digital modes of delivery. Isa held the position of Train4Health project manager.
Marta Moreira Marques holds a PhD in Health Psychology (Leiden University, Netherlands). She is a senior research fellow at the NOVA Medical School (Portugal), and holds honorary research positions at Trinity College Dublin (Ireland) and University College London (UK). Her research focuses on the methods for advancing the science of behaviour change, and in applying them to the development and evaluation of complex health behaviour change interventions.
