RESEARCH - The Internet-based arthritis self-management program: a one-year randomized trial for patients with arthritis or fibromyalgia

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Arthritis Rheum. 2008 Jul 15;59(7):1009-17.

The internet-based arthritis self-management program: a one-year

randomized trial for patients with arthritis or fibromyalgia.

Lorig KR, Ritter PL, t DD, Plant K.

Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California, USA.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the efficacy of an Internet-based Arthritis

Self-Management Program (ASMP) as a resource for arthritis patients

unable or unwilling to attend small-group ASMPs, which have proven

effective in changing health-related behaviors and improving health

status measures. METHODS: Randomized intervention participants were

compared with usual care controls at 6 months and 1 year using

repeated-measures analyses of variance. Patients with rheumatoid

arthritis, osteoarthritis, or fibromyalgia and Internet and e-mail

access (n = 855) were randomized to an intervention (n = 433) or usual

care control (n = 422) group. Measures included 6 health status

variables (pain, fatigue, activity limitation, health distress,

disability, and self-reported global health), 4 health behaviors

(aerobic exercise, stretching and strengthening exercise, practice of

stress management, and communication with physicians), 5 utilization

variables (physician visits, emergency room visits, chiropractic

visits, physical therapist visits, and nights in hospital), and

self-efficacy. RESULTS: At 1 year, the intervention group

significantly improved in 4 of 6 health status measures and

self-efficacy. No significant differences in health behaviors or

health care utilization were found.

CONCLUSION: The Internet-based ASMP proved effective in improving

health status measures at 1 year and is a viable alternative to the

small-group ASMP.

PMID: 18576310

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18576310

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