Effectiveness of individual resource-oriented joint protection education in people with rheumatoid arthritis. A randomized controlled trial

ObjectiveThe modern joint protection (JP) concept for people with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an active coping strategy to improve daily tasks and role performance by changing working methods and using assistive devices. Effective group JP education includes psycho-educational interventions. The Pictorial Representation of Illness and Self Measure (PRISM) is an interactive hands-on-tool, assessing (a) the individual's perceived burden of illness and (b) relevant individual resources. Both issues are important for intrinsic motivation to take action and change behaviour. This study compared individual conventional JP education (C-JP) with PRISM-based JP education (PRISM-JP).MethodsAn assessor-blinded multicentre randomized controlled trial, including four JP education sessions over 3 weeks, with assessments at baseline and 3 months.ResultsIn total 53 RA patients participated. At 3 months, the PRISM-JP (n = 26) participants did significantly better compared to the C-JP participants (n = 27) in JP behaviour (p = 0.02 and p = 0.008 when corrected for baseline values), Arthritis Self-efficacy (ASES, p = 0.015) and JP self-efficacy (JP-SES, p = 0.047). Within-group analysis also showed less hand pain (p < 0.001) in PRISM-JP group.ConclusionPRISM-JP more effectively supported learning of JP methods, with meaningful occupations, resource activation and self-efficacy acting as important mediators.Practice implicationsPRISM improved patient–clinician communication and is feasible for occupational therapy.