An environmental scan of peer support programs in Ontario, Canada for adults with special health care needs and their caregivers.

Abstract

To conduct an environmental scan of known peer support programs implemented for adults with chronic health conditions and/or their caregivers in Ontario, Canada and synthesize these results, to inform future efforts to co-design peer support programs with and for adults with special health care needs (ASCN). A systematic online search was performed, to identify peer support programs for individuals with chronic health conditions and their caregivers in Ontario. Relevant program details were extracted from peer support group webpages and where possible peer support program coordinators were contacted for additional information. Twenty programs met inclusion criteria. There was considerable variation in the type of peer support programs offered across Ontario. Despite this heterogeneity, the environmental scan identified several important trends across program offerings. Key amongst these are inclusive programming for both patients and family, and individualized/flexible service delivery. Program and outcome evaluation was lacking across programs. Peer support programs in Ontario used diverse strategies but shared the goal of creating safe spaces for individuals with similar lived experiences to connect. Future research on peer support programs for people with chronic health conditions should assess short- and long-term outcomes to evaluate their impact on populations served.