Increasing the empowerment and selfefficacy
of patients is important because with
improved knowledge of their disease and
greater competence in managing it, they
become more confident, independent, and
motivated29 and more concordant with
treatment,12 and they experience fewer
hospital readmissions36 and have a betterquality
doctor–patient relationship.34
However, not all patients will want to
participate actively in their own care or will
be able to do so.29 As Kralik et al. state,
for example, transport to venues and confi-
dence in attending group meetings may
be prohibitive factors as far as education
programs and information groups are
concerned