The impact of a community-wide self-care information project on self-care and medical care utilization

This study assesses the effects of the Healthwise Communities Project (HCP) on use of self-care resources and health care utilization. The intervention included the distribution of the Healthwise Handbook, the provision of a telephone advice line, and a Web site. All of these products use a symptom-based approach and are aimed at a general population. A quasi-experimental design was used with two comparison communities. Measurements over time assessed the effects of the HCP while controlling for secular trends. Survey and utilization data are used to assess the effect of the intervention. Findings indicate that the community intervention increased the use of self-care resources. Users believe that these products help them make better decisions regarding when to seek care and how to self-treat problems. Most believe that using the self-care resources saved them from seeking unnecessary care. The findings from the utilization data provide some evidence to support this conclusion.