The Effect of Educational Program on Self-efficacy of Women with Rheumatoid Arthritis: A Randomized Controlled Clinical Trial.
Mahboobeh Hosseini Moghadam, Iran Jahanbin, Mohammad Ali Nazarinia
PMID 29399585WHAT IT FOUND
An education program for 8 consecutive weeks raised self-efficacy for pain and other symptoms in women with rheumatoid arthritis immediately and at 3 months versus standard treatment, but scores fell after the course ended.
Key findings
01Self-efficacy scores for pain, other symptoms and total self-efficacy were significantly higher in the education group than the control group immediately after the intervention and 3 months after it (P<0.001).
02In the education group, self-efficacy scores decreased from immediately after the intervention to after the third month of follow-up, significantly for pain (P=0.027), other symptoms (P<0.001) and total self-efficacy (P<0.001).
03The intervention was a group education program for 8 consecutive weeks covering RA, planning and scheduling daily activities, rest and sleep, diet, pain coping, joint protection, medication methods and side effects.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for RNs
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What it does not show
Only 64 women were enrolled, and no men were included, so the results may not apply to men with rheumatoid arthritis. The trial was open, and participants knew whether they received the education program. The scale was modified by omitting physical functioning items, so it measured confidence for pain and other symptoms only. The education program bundled several topics and a booklet, so the contribution of any single topic cannot be separated. The effect was measured only through self-efficacy, not through function, pain, medication use, or clinical outcomes. The study was single centre and used Persian language materials, so generalizability may be limited.
The easy way to misread this
Do not conclude that one education course for 8 consecutive weeks gives lasting self-efficacy gains. Scores in the education group decreased significantly by 3 months after the course, so follow-up or repeated education may be needed.