Abstract

ESCORCIA, María Esther et al. Effectiveness of an education program in patients with rheumatoid arthritis. Hospital Universidad del Norte. Barranquilla. April-May 2005. Rev.Colomb.Reumatol. [online]. 2006, vol.13, n.1, pp.11-19. ISSN 0121-8123.

Objective: the goal of the study was to determine the effectiveness of an education program in patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis who assist to Hospital Universidad del Norte (HUN). Methods: we performed a quasi experimental study in people with rheumatoid arthritis who assisted to HUN and met the inclusion and exclusion criteria. The main intervention was a 3 week education programme, each weekly session lasting 3 hours. Assesments were made at entry and at the end of the intervention. The main outcome variables were: patient knowledge, quality of life, pain, general health status and general functional status. The population was categorized by variable demographic aspects and characteristics of the illness. Results: the sample (n = 19) comprised 89,5% women with a mean age of 53,11 ± 18,21 years. The disease duration was 4,68 ± 3,36 years. At the end of the intervention, compared with baseline, treatment subjects demonstrated improvement in knowledge (p = 0,00). The “physical function” and “physic role” subscales of the SF-36 showed a significant improvement in the education group (p < 0,05). No significant differences were found for pain, general health status and general functional status. Conclusions: the patient education generates improvements in knowledge, physical function and physic role. Further studies of this kind, using larger patient numbers, are required.

Keywords : rheumatoid arthritis; patient education, intervention.

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