Bay Area adults with arthritis are invited to participate in self-management workshops provided by the Stanford Patient Education Research Center.

Participants will learn techniques to help them better manage their symptoms. They will make weekly action plans, share experiences and help each other solve problems they encounter in creating and carrying out their self-management program.

The workshops are offered as part of a research study on the health effects of self-management programs. For more than 20 years, the Stanford center has developed, tested and offered programs that have helped people manage chronic conditions through self-help techniques.

Workshops begin in June and will be offered throughout the Bay Area in a variety of settings, such as churches, community centers and clinics. The five-hour workshop is taught over two weeks during a pair of 2.5-hour sessions.

There is no fee to participate, but registration is required because of space limitations. The sessions are open to arthritis sufferers over the age of 18, regardless of the severity of the symptoms. For more information or to register or refer patients, call the Stanford Patient Education Research Center at (800) 366-2624.

—Courtesy Stanford Office of Communication and Public Affairs