AB0900-HPR THE EXPECTATIONS AND EXPERIENCES OF PATIENTS WITH RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS AFTER ENROLLING INTO AN EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM. RESULTS FROM A MIXED STUDY APPROACH
Authors: R. A. Castiblanco Montañez, A. Arevalo Velandia, J. D. Garzon Cepeda, F. Rodriguez-Florido, D. Buitrago-Garcia, G. Sánchez, P. Santos-Moreno
Journal: Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases (2021)

Background: Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a high-cost disease, usually diagnosed at a productive age in life. RA brings significant changes in a patient’s life. On an emotional level, the patient perceives a strong impact that generates disorientation, denial, depression, hopelessness, anger and fear due to the uncertainty of the development of the disease and the doubt of the turn that his life will take. However, each patient has different ways of coping with the disease and adapting to it (1,2). These changes require attention from health personnel. In this regard, different studies have reported the effect of educational, support and empowerment programs for patients on reducing the effects of the disease and the benefits are oriented towards improving lifestyles by improving self-care (3,4). Objectives: To describe the experience of patients with rheumatoid arthritis, their perception and expectations about entering a multicomponent educational program in a specialized center in Bogotá - Colombia. Methods: For this study a concurrent mixed design was used, in which quantitative and qualitative methods are applied simultaneously, we invited patients with rheumatoid arthritis who attended a specialized center in Bogotá - Colombia who enrolled in an education program called UNIVERSITAR. The quantitative phase included a descriptive analysis and the application of the expectations scale adapted from Borkovec and Nau (5); this scale collects information about the level of expectations and satisfaction of the program. The scale ranges from 0 (not at all) to 10 (very much). Immediately after the application of the scale, the participants were invited to a focus group that allowed the dialogue on the perception and expectations of the participants regarding the program, through a dynamic process in which the participants exchanged their ideas and opinions. A group interview script was used, aimed at identifying the patients’ experiences with their diagnosis and their expectations regarding the program. Two focus groups were held with an average duration of one hour; the discussion was recorded on audio and transcribed in its entirely. Results: We included 31 participants and were distributed in two focus groups. The median age of the participants was 60 years IQR (54-67), 92% were female. 77% of participants reported high scores for the satisfaction regarding the program. In the qualitative phase two categories emerged that speak of the experience of the participants with the disease. They highlighted the appearance of this disease in their lives in an unexpected way, the doubts and uncertainties that were generated from the diagnosis and the implications that this condition causes health in their everyday life. However, in the second category, the expectations and motivations of the participants towards the educational program are highlighted, and the factors that influence their participation and their motivation to train and empower themselves to make decisions and as expert patients, capable of educate, guide and support other patients with the same diagnosis. Conclusion: The expectations and perceptions of the patients are of great importance, since through these the conditions with which these educational programs provide interventions and a better quality of life to these patients can be improved. Disclosure of Interests: None declared