[Dental caries as chronic disease, a new therapeutic approach].

For many decades, oral health has been improving considerably in France. Caries indicators have decreased strongly. However, some "high risk" populations accumulate the majority of tooth decay.

Therapeutic education unit for heart failure: setting-up and difficulties. Initial evaluation of the I-CARE programme.

Background: Education programmes are required in chronic diseases. The insuffisance cardiaque : éducation thérapeutique (I-CARE) programme was developed in France to promote the setting-up of therapeutic education units for chronic heart failure.

Aim: To evaluate the setting-up of such units, assessing the influence of training on the creation and organization of the unit, the problems encountered and the contribution of the dedicated educational tools.

[Adapted physical activity and patient education in the French diabetes networks].

A thorough questionnaire-based survey of French diabetes networks depicts an accurate description of the services they offer, in particular concerning physical activity. Often considered as less important than medicinal monitoring and dietetics, physical activity is at the core of a new professional dynamic. Practical sessions of adapted physical activity are presently offered in half the networks, as either one-time awareness-raising sessions or a complete series of sessions.

[Partnering with patients to reflect on the conceptual design of a therapeutic patient education programme].

Within the framework of a patient education training programme, a group of health sector professionals comprised of hospital doctors, general practitioners, nurses, physiotherapists and dieticians created a programme intended for people with peripheral vascular disease (intermittent claudication). A study was carried out simultaneously utilising a questionnaire and a series of four interviews which permitted professionals to collect data on the patients' expectations regarding such a programme and their points of view at each specific stage of its development. This article analyses the contribution of the patients to the therapeutic patient education programme design, namely with respect to their influence on the programme's content, on the educational process and approach as well as on the professionals' perspectives on disease, various treatments and people with this particular illness.

A therapeutic education programme for diabetic children: recreational, creative methods, and use of puppets.

Patient education is an important aspect of care to young diabetic children. The use of playthings and recreational activities is an effective way to help children develop harmoniously by integrating the paradox of having to become compliant with treatment and medication while becoming autonomous in life. This paper presents the evaluation of a therapeutic education programme which was attended by 14 young diabetic patients aged 10-12.