Healthier: Health Coaching for People With Rheumatoid Arthritis to Improve Mental Well-Being

Pilot Randomized Trial of Health Coaching for People With Rheumatoid Arthritis to Improve Mental Well-Being

The goal of this clinical trial is to learn if peer coaching works to reduce levels of anxiety and/or depression in adults diagnosed with Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA). The main questions it aims to answer are: Do people with RA who complete the intervention with a peer coach have lower levels of anxiety and/or depression at 6 months from baseline? Do people with RA who complete the intervention with a peer coach have lower levels of anxiety and/or depression at 6 months compared to those in the control arm?

Researchers will compare the peer coaching intervention to an active-control arm (where people without RA coach participants on general health and nutrition topics) to see if peer coaching works to reduce anxiety and/or depression.

Participants will meet with a coach every week for 9 weeks and complete several surveys before, during and after the intervention

Inclusion Criteria:

• Male or Female older than 18 years of age.
• Have a diagnosis of Rheumatoid Arthritis by a rheumatologist and currently taking a Disease-Modifying Anti-rheumatic drug ( Conventional Disease-Modifying Anti-rheumatic drug and/or Biological Disease-Modifying Anti-rheumatic drug)
• Have high levels of depression defined as PHQ-8 scores between 10 to 20, OR high levels of anxiety based on GAD-7 scores > 10
• Speaks English or Spanish
• Have access to the internet, a computer, and/or a smartphone
• Resides or lives in any state of the US, including Puerto Rico
• Willing to work with a peer coach or a coach

Exclusion Criteria:

• Having a rheumatic disease other than RA (e.g., psoriatic arthritis, gout, lupus)
• Nursing home resident
• History of dementia or severe cognitive decline
• Are currently bedbound
• Severe depression defined as PHQ-8 scores of >20.