Recent research has demonstrated that patient education efforts have a positive effect on chronic disease self-management. Focusing educational interventions on developing self-management self-efficacy can significantly reduce the impact of chronic diseases, including arthritis. The Four-Hour Arthritis Self-Help Workshop was developed in 1997 as an abbreviated version of the six-week Arthritis Self-Help Course. This workshop was developed around the framework of Bandura's Social Cognitive Theory (SCT), with an emphasis on the principle of self-efficacy to introduce individuals with arthritis to the basic principles of self-care and arthritis self-management. A previous evaluation of this workshop was inconclusive, leading to the need for the currently proposed study. The primary purpose of this evaluation is to determine whether the Four-Hour Workshop meets its intended objectives. Those objectives include (1) to increase arthritis knowledge; (2) to increase self-efficacy with regard to arthritis self-care behaviors; and (3) to increase arthritis self-care behavior intention. The evaluation will use an experimental design, with naturally formed participant groups randomized by site. Data will be collected using a pretest - posttest mail survey format. A total of 200 participants will be recruited through a non-profit voluntary health organization from the northeast, southeast, and west coast regions of the United States. This presentation will cover an experimental application of utilization-focused evaluation techniques. The effectiveness of a four-hour workshop in increasing arthritis knowledge and self-efficacy will be discussed. In addition, the impact of disability and impaired social coping on self-efficacy will be addressed, with recommendations made for improving arthritis self-help educational programs.
Learning Objectives: At the conclusion of the session, the learner will be able to: (1) describe the importance of arthritis self-management, (2) describe a utilization-focused experimental evaluation design, and (3) discuss the effectiveness of a four-hour workshop setting for increasing arthritis knowledge and self-efficacy to manage their arthritis condition.
Keywords: Evaluation, Arthritis
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: Arthritis Foundation
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.