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The purpose of the study was to determine the extent to which a standardized six-week arthritis patient education program, the Arthritis Self-Management Program (ASMP) was effective for older women with osteoarthritis. Participants were evaluated in terms of physical status (pain, physical disabilities, and perceptions of arthritis impact and interference), psychological well-being (psychological disability, depression, and positive and negative affect) health behaviours (stretching, walking, and relaxing) and self-efficacy. Change due to the ASMP was evaluated relative to a two-treatment condition in two separate analyses: a between-subjects analysis and a within-subjects analysis. In the between-subjects analysis, 15 women completed the ASMP and 21 women who were on a waiting list served as controls. In the second analysis, 24 women completed the questionnaires when first placed on the waiting list, and immediately prior to and following participation in the ASMP. All ASMP participants also completed a six-month follow-up assessment. A secondary question in the study was the extent to which change in health outcomes was predicted by social support, health locus of control and ASMP-related changes in health behaviours and self-efficacy.
The results showed that the ASMP was effective in changing health behaviours; these changes were maintained at follow-up. Post-treatment changes were observed in psychological disability and depression, but were not observed for physical status measures. The results for the psychological well-being measures concur with comparable studies in the literature; however, the lack of significant improvements in pain was not consistent with other reports.
Simple correlations between pre-test measures showed strong correlations between self-efficacy and both physical and psychological measures. However, change in self-efficacy was not predictive of change in outcomes. Improvement in psychological outcomes was related to increased exercise activity and to the social support provided in the ASMP. It was concluded that the ASMP is effective for elderly women in improving psychological well-being variables only. Questions were raised about the efficacy of the program for physical aspects of the disease.