Background/Purpose: Minorities with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) are at high risk of poor disease outcomes and may face challenges in effectively self-managing multiple health problems. The Chronic Disease Self-Management Program (CDSMP) is an evidence-based intervention that improves the health of people with chronic illnesses. We aimed to pilot test the benefits of the Chronic Disease Self-Management Program (CDSMP) for low-income African American women with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE).

Methods: Four CDSMP 6-week workshops were delivered to 49 low-income African American women with SLE who received medical care for ≥6 months at a public lupus clinic in Atlanta, Georgia.  We compared post- minus pre- CDSMP changes (from baseline to 4 months after the start of the intervention) in three general outcomes (health status, self-efficacy and self-management behaviors) using self-reported measures. Additionally, a fourth general outcome (outpatient and inpatient health care utilization) was assessed using electronic administrative records in the 6-month periods before and after the intervention. Paired t-tests or Wilcoxon signed-rank tests were used to compare the post-pre CDSMP change for each outcome measure.

Results: Significant improvements were observed in one of the three measures of health status (physical component summary of the SF-36), in the measure of self-efficacy, and three of the five measures of self-management behaviors outcome (cognitive symptom management, communication with physicians, and medication taking measure).

Conclusion: The CDSMP is a promising intervention for low-income African Americans with SLE. It is an inexpensive program with growing availability around the world that should be further evaluated as a resource to improve patient-centered outcomes and decrease health service utilization among SLE patients.