|
Stories for Reprint
Online Arthritis Course Helps
By Erin Willis, MARRTC Staff
A recent study has shown learning rheumatoid arthritis coping skills through an online program works.
For more than 46 million Americans, arthritis is not just everyday pain it can also impact many areas of daily life. Arthritis can add stress, limit mobility, create challenges at home or work, and make it difficult to do the things you like best. Researchers the Missouri Arthritis Rehabilitation Research and Training Center at the University of Missouri conducted an online self-management course that helped those with rheumatoid arthritis deal more effectively with some of these frequent problems.
"Self-management programs work," says Karen Smarr, Ph.D., clinical assistant professor in the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Missouri School of Medicine, and principal investigator with the Missouri Arthritis Rehabilitation Research and Training Center. "Most people are online daily doing their banking, shopping, e-mailing, or searching the web. Offering self-management programs online affords maximum convenience. So, people juggling busy lifestyles while living with a chronic illness do not have to drive, pay for childcare, or take time off work. They get to decide when is the right time and place to access a self-management program online."
Participants with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) were recruited from across the United States. The majority of the participants were women of an average age of 50 years, who were married and had full-time jobs. The average disease duration was four years. The participants were divided into two groups.
The first group participated in an online self-management program. Participants read online lessons and then spoke to an arthritis educator in a follow-up phone session. Topics included stress management, emotional responses, pain-management techniques, family adjustments, social support, adaptation to change, and general coping strategies. This group was also encouraged to get additional support by joining the group's online community with discussion board, chat, and messaging.
The second group of participants did not take the course and continued with their regular health care routine.
After ten weeks, preliminary analyses found the online self-management course group showed improvement in quality of life and psychological well-being.
"At times, the unpredictable nature of arthritis can leave people feeling helpless, overwhelmed, and discouraged," says Smarr. "Self-management programs confront these feelings and offer practice approach to managing daily issued faced by persons with arthritis. Our program takes a proactive, life-focused approach to improve cope and manage arthritis. Learning strategies to better manage pain, stress, losses, and living with an invisible disability can improve their perceived sense of control, as well as their overall well-being and quality of life."
Researchers from the University of Missouri took arthritis self-management to an entirely different level - the Web - making it accessible to all.
Online self-management programs might just be the answer for people with RA. Not only was a broader audience reached at a very low cost, but improvements in quality of life and psychological well-being was seen in the participants.
"Using technology is an important wave for the future of health care," concludes Smarr. "The Internet is today's cost-effective way to get many types of services at your fingertips. Using the Internet serves to extend the benefits of self-management programs by improving the accessibility and availability of these programs to everyone interested in participating."
|
|
