POS0135-PARE HELLENIC LEAGUE AGAINST RHEUMATISM HELPINE: A VERY IMPORTANT, EFFECTIVE AND INTERACTIVE TO HELP THE PEOPLE WITH RMDS AND THEIR CAREGIVERS
Authors: K. Antonopoulou, N. Malliou, A. Pappa, E. Oikonomoula, K. Rousta, M. Spanou Salamaliki, T. Makidou, A. Margariti, K. Tsekoura
Journal: Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases (2024)

<h3>Background:</h3> One of the main objectives of the Hellenic League Against Rheumatism (ELEANA/HELAR) is to provide psychosocial support to people living with RMDs and their caregivers to improve their quality of life and reduce the burden of the disease on their daily life. To achieve the above objective, ELEANA/HELAR operates a helpline since 2007 with one psychologist and after 2017 with a one psychologist and at 2 or more volunteers. This a nationwide offered service which is included in official List of Helplines for Health &amp; Social Solidarity Issues issued by the Primary Health Care &amp; Prevention Directorate. The Helpline is addressed to an estimate of two and a half million people suffering from an RMD in Greece and their families, friends/caregivers. <h3>Objectives:</h3> Our helpline, being one of the main services of the Hellenic League's Against Rheumatism psychosocial support program aims at a) offering guidance and information, b) referring patients and helping them navigate through the health system and c) supporting and counseling how to better self-manage their RMDs. <h3>Methods:</h3> The Helpline receives requests which can be replied immediately, or the caller can book a session with our on-staff psychologist or trained volunteers. Data about the helpline are anonymous and cannot be traced back to individuals calling. The psychologist on-staff and volunteers only have access to the collected information due to GDPR rules. Records prior to 2017, from 2007 until 2016, were not systemically tracked (approximately n=3288 calls). From 2017, there is a database with basic information on the callers' profile so that we can monitor the reason for calls, follow up calls, progress of random callers requesting sessions (n=3772 calls). From 2017, database access is restricted to the psychologist on-staff as well as to trained volunteers doing sessions and not to those answering phone calls. We record and statistically process the calls we receive. This is a particularly useful process in understanding the needs of the RMDs community and helps us continuously improve our services. <h3>Results:</h3> During the almost 17 years of its operation, the helpline received approximately 8.000 calls. The average duration of the calls was 15 minutes, and the main place of origin was Athens. Most of the people served were women, out of whom 85% were of average 53 years old. The main topics of the calls were: -32% of the calls were exclusively about mental health issues, depressive feelings, anxiety, difficulties in interpersonal relationships. -12% of calls were related to medical care issues. Access to treatment, medication, COVID-19 vaccination, and side effects, -13% were related to employment and insurance issues, such as loss of insurance or disability certification process -43% concerned issues related to the functioning of the association. 23% involved people with Rheumatoid Arthritis, 6% involved people with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus, 5% involved people with AxSpa, 4% with Psoriatic Arthritis, 3% with Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis, followed by 2% with Sjogren, Fibromyalgia, Osteoarthritis, and Scleroderma. Calls involving people with other rheumatic diseases touched 7%, while undiagnosed people were 9% and those with multiple diagnoses were 3%. A significant portion of the calls was informed about the line by our webpage and/or our Facebook page (63%) or were referred to it by another person (3%). 34% of the callers were registered members of ELEANA/HELAR. <h3>Conclusion:</h3> Our helpline is one of the most important assets of ELEANA. Members of our League and people with RMDs in general throughout Greece can reach out and get support and information on important issues. The helpline is included in our core activities given the strong correlation between mental health issues and RMDs. People living with RMDs and the burden of the diseases are at a higher risk of developing depressive symptoms, anxiety and several other mental health issues. This is a way to reach out to everyone and be open and inclusive for people with RMDs in Greece to achieve better quality of life. <h3>REFERENCES:</h3> <b>NIL.</b> <h3>Acknowledgements:</h3> <b>NIL.</b> <h3>Disclosure of Interests:</h3> <b>None declared.</b>