The Effectiveness of Case Management for Patients With Rheumatoid Arthritis in Taiwan
The Effectiveness of Case Management for Patients With Rheumatoid Arthritis in Taiwan
Case management (CM) has been recommended as a way of inspiring measurable changes in individual behaviors and improving clinical outcomes for patients with chronic diseases. However, data on its effectiveness for Taiwanese patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) are limited. This study aimed to determine the long-term effectiveness of CM that focused on nurses' role among Taiwanese RA patients.
A quasi-experimental pre-post test, control-group study with purposive sampling recruited RA patients from a hospital in Taiwan during 2016-2017. CM program was composed of health education sessions and follow-up telephone consultations over a six-month period. A review of medical records and structured questionnaires yielded data about patient demographics and disease characteristics, and included Chinese version of the Arthritis Self-Efficacy Scale and the Taiwanese Depression Questionnaire. A comparison of the long-term effectiveness of the CM program was made using generalized estimating equation.
This evidence-based study may be beneficial to characterize the long-term effectiveness of CM for Taiwanese patients with RA, and may be a reference for healthcare providers in facilitating the provision of appropriate interventions to improve the adaptation processes and clinical outcomes for them.
Nurse-led case management integrates a multi-component intervention comprised of health education and professional advice, as well as referral of clients to other health care team members, discussion of daily life plans, making an appointment for the next clinic, and conducting follow-up sessions by telephone.
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Exclusion Criteria: