Effects of a Rheumatoid Arthritis Self-management Program

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a persistent systemic disease. WHO (World Health Organization) commented that a crucial goal of heath care for RA is prevention of loss of daily function by patients' self-management (SM) skills; however, a comprehensive rheumatoid arthritis self-management (RASm) for RA patients' day-to-day self-managing is limited in Taiwan.

Aims: The aims of the study are: (1) to implement the RASm program, (2) to determine the effectiveness of the program with 6 months follow-up, and (3) to understand participants' experiences when receiving the RASm program for the experimental group.

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a persistent systemic disease. WHO (World Health Organization) commented that a crucial goal of heath care for RA is prevention of loss of daily function by patients' self-management (SM) skills; however, a comprehensive rheumatoid arthritis self-management program for RA patients' day-to-day self-managing is limited in Taiwan. The aims of the study are: (1) to implement the rheumatoid arthritis self-management program, and (2) to determine the effectiveness of the program with 6 months follow-up. The project will design to implement and evaluate the rheumatoid arthritis self-management program for RA patients using two groups experimental design. A medical center in northern Taiwan will be selected and patients who visited the RA departments will be eligible for the study if they are: (1) diagnosed with RA, (2) age of 20 years or over, (3) disease considered have been stable for at least 3 months, and (4) able to understand and comply with the study treatment. After completion of baseline data, patients will be randomly allocated to the intervention or control group using a computerized allocation procedure and follow the CONSORT flow diagram. Control patients received usual care, and the intervention group will receive the 6-week rheumatoid arthritis self-management program which based on self-efficacy theory. The independent variable of the program will be the four information include mastery experience, social modeling, social persuasion and physical and emotional states, and the strategies involve education, goal setting and attainment, self-monitoring, and phone calls. All participants will follow up for 6 months, and the data will be collected at the baseline, and 2, 3, and 6 months. The statistics with the GEE (generalized estimating equation) analysis will be used to evaluate the outcomes such as the disease activity (DAS-28), arthritis self-efficacy (ASE), physical functioning (MHAQ), quality of life (SF-36), and self-management behaviors. Through enhance the capacity of self-management program for the RA cases to reduce the health care utilization and patients' and caregivers' burden.

Eligibility Criteria:
Inclusion Criteria:

* Diagnosed with RA
* Age of 20 years or over
* Disease considered have been stable for at least 3 months
* Able to understand and comply with the study treatment

Exclusion Criteria:

* Suffering from other terminal illnesses, severe dementia or another debilitating psychiatric disorder
* Living in a long-term care facility
* Participation in another research protocol