Effects of a Rheumatoid Arthritis Self-management Program
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.
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