Better Choices, Better Health Online Workshop Now Available

Better Choices, Better Health (BCBH) is a six-week, self-paced online workshop for people with chronic health conditions who would like to gain skills for managing the challenges associated with chronic pain. This free training is offered through the Center for Persons with Disabilities at Utah State University and was developed at Stanford University. Online workshop participants will experience weekly action planning, guided lessons, peer support and facilitation, effective problem solving, symptom management, and working with a healthcare team.

The workshop addresses common symptoms for a variety of types of illnesses and chronic diseases. Family members and caregivers can also participate and benefit from the workshop. Participants learn skills for managing chronic health conditions and experience the following benefits: (1) increased mobility; (2) increased individual ability to accomplish everyday activities; (3) decreased depression, fear, and worry about health; (4) methods for managing pain symptoms; (5) increased confidence; and (6) potentially fewer hospitalizations and visits to the emergency room.

Topics covered include managing pain and fatigue, creating an action plan for setting achievable goals, problem solving, decision making, working through difficult emotions, increasing exercise and physical activity, healthy eating, building interpersonal communication skills, and working with health care providers.

Each week new content is provided, but students have access to all course materials for one full year. The workshop includes an interactive discussion center, a help area, tools for journals and exercise logs, and a book entitled “Living a Healthy Life with Long-Term Conditions.” Participants may be active in the class on their own schedules throughout the six-week course but are expected to spend a minimum of two hours each week while logging in every couple of days. Enrollment in this self-paced, self-managed course is capped at 25 participants. The program is funded by the Utah Department of Health and is available to participants at no charge.