Effects of education program in patients with rheumatoid arthritis Rheumatology Service of University Hospital Cassiano Antonio de Moraes (HUCAM) - pilot project

Abstract

The goal behind patient’s education about rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is to stimulate the person to achieve maximum functional independence e a healthy life-style. The point of this work was to verify the extension program “Education to rheumatic patient” effects, on a Rheumatologic Service, in Vitória/ES. The applied methodology was a non-controlled clinical trial of the quantitative type. Patients were evaluated in the beginning of the program and after four weeks, through the Health Assessment Questionnaire, from Patient Knowledge Questionnaire and from the School of auto effi ciency for chronical pain. It was used the t-paired test on the data, for the parametrical variables, and the Wilcoxon test for the non-parametrical ones, been considered p<0.05. The results were: fi fty patients with RA started the program, being that fi fteen attended to all meetings and nineteen had the 1st and 2nd evaluations completed; 18.2% fi nished High School and 63.6% had a minimum wage income. We conclude that there was no signifi cant statistical difference between the initial and fi nal evaluations. The used sample showed that the patients did not acquired more knowledge about the disease through the short-term education program, probably due their low level of education, the low income and lack of family support.