Digital Monitoring and Counselling for Rheumatoid Arthritis Self-Management
Author Information
Author(s): Li Linda C, Xie Hui, Feehan Lynne M, Shaw Chris, Lu Na, Ramachandran Smruthi, Wang Ellen, Therrien Stephanie, Mucha Julia, Hoens Alison M, English Kelly, Davidson Eileen, Liu-Ambrose Teresa, Backman Catherine L, Esdaile John M, Miller Kimberly J, Lacaille Diane
Primary Institution: University of British Columbia
Hypothesis
The intervention will significantly improve self-management ability in patients with rheumatoid arthritis compared to control participants.
Conclusion
Remote counselling paired with self-monitoring tools improved self-management ability in people with rheumatoid arthritis.
Supporting Evidence
- Participants in the Immediate Group showed a mean change of 4.6 in PAM-13 scores at 27 weeks.
- The intervention improved disease activity, fatigue, depression, and self-reported walking habits.
- 80.2% of participants completed the study during the COVID-19 pandemic.
- Participants used the app for an average of 150.1 days during the intervention period.
- 40% of the Immediate Group achieved a clinically important improvement in PAM-13 scores.
Takeaway
This study shows that talking to a physiotherapist and using a special app can help people with arthritis take better care of themselves.
Methodology
Participants were randomly assigned to receive either immediate intervention with digital tools and counselling or delayed intervention, and outcomes were measured at baseline, 27 weeks, and 53 weeks.
Potential Biases
The study had a high percentage of female participants, which may limit generalizability.
Limitations
The study may not be generalizable to individuals with lower levels of activation or those who are not women, and treatment changes during the study were not tracked.
Participant Demographics
91.6% women, mean age 55.8 years, 80.2% completed during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Statistical Information
P-Value
p≤0.001
Confidence Interval
95% CI: 2.0, 8.7
Statistical Significance
p≤0.001
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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