Jean Goeppinger|Kate Lorig|Philip L. Ritter|Sonal Mutatkar|Frank Villa|Ziya Gizlice
Mail-delivered arthritis self-management tool kit: A randomized trial and longitudinal followup
abstract objective determine effectiveness intervention tool kit arthritis selfmanagement materials sent mail describe populations reached methods spanish speakers n 335 nonhispanic englishspeaking african americans n 156 nonhispanic english speakers n 404 recruited separately randomized within 3 ethnicracial categories immediately receive intervention tool kit n 458 4month waitlist control status n 463 end 4 months controls sent tool kit subjects followed longitudinal study 9 months selfadministered measures included health status health behavior arthritis selfefficacy medical care utilization demographic variables using analyses covariance tests analyses conducted participants spanish englishlanguage groups results 4 months comparing intervention subjects randomized waitlist controls significant p lt 001 benefits outcomes except medical care utilization selfrated health results maintained 9 months compared baseline average tool kit reached persons ages 5056 years 1215 years schooling differences english spanishlanguage participants either effectiveness reach variables conclusion mailed arthritis selfmanagement tool kit proved effective improving health status health behavior selfefficacy variables 9 months also reached younger persons english spanishlanguage groups spanish speakers higher education levels previous studies smallgroup arthritis selfmanagement program