Sandra Pelaez

Background

About Sandra Pelaez

Excellence in healthcare translates into effectively healing and controlling diseases or conditions affecting people. While available and innovative treatments may offer a response to existing health problems, patients acceptance of proposed treatments is crucial to enhance adherence. Both, acceptance and adherence to treatments rely on patients’ proactive behaviour, i.e, in the self-management of their disease or condition. Therefore, it is important to develop grounded, evidence-informed interventions aimed to improve self-management. Successful interventions include a behaviour change component and that has a positive impact on both the patient, the person that treats them, and the healthcare system. Along these lines, my professional interests revolve around the following- The exploration of patients’, their close network, and treating healthcare professionals’ perspectives, needs, and experiences - The design of tailored behaviour change interventions that include an evaluation strategy to monitor the outcomes - A scale-plan for the intervention based on lessons learnt from the evaluation - A ready-to-disseminate knowledge translation plan, stemming from grounded evidence, suggesting sensitive personal, institutional, and governmental policies aiming at addressing and preventing disease development and promoting positive health behaviours