Patients with PsA prefer online wellness programs with e-coaching component
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PHILADELPHIA — Guided online participation in a wellness program was preferred over in-person or self-guided programs among patients with psoriatic arthritis, according to a poster presentation at ACR Convergence 2022.
“Research continues to reinforce that healthy behaviors like eating nutritious foods, getting proper sleep, exercising and managing stress have a positive impact on health,” Kelly Gavigan, MPH, director of data management and analytics the Global Healthy Living Foundation, said during a presentation.
According to the poster, the cross-sectional online survey was created with both patient and clinician input and included questions that assessed participants’ experience with an online wellness program as well as their motivation to participate in such programs. The wellness program incorporated four modules focused on lifestyle behaviors and an e-coaching intervention. Participants who completed the survey were chosen from the Arthritis Power registry and were U.S. adults with a PsA diagnosis.
The survey was completed by 186 participants, with 76.9% of reporting that wellness is “very important” for the management of their PsA. For 80.1% of participants, sleep was considered an important aspect of wellness they are either learning about or improving, while 67.7% reported nutrition was an important aspect they are learning about or improving. However, only 10.8% were participating in a structured wellness program, Gavigan and colleagues reported.
The top motivator for participating in a wellness program was feeling better, reported at 37.1%. Moreover, 77.4% of participants reported thinking about wellness now more compared with before they received their PsA diagnosis. According to the poster, the top barrier to wellness changes was cost, reported by 50.5%. The percentage of participants reporting having no barriers to participation was 9.7%. The data also showed that 27.4% of participants would prefer to participate in a wellness program by interacting with an online trained professional.
“The results of this study support the use of guided online participation for wellness programs as opposed to in-person or self-guided programs,” Gavigan said. “Further studies are needed to elucidate how e-coaching wellness platforms may improve and sustain lifestyle changes among people with psoriatic arthritis and other rheumatic conditions.”
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Gavigan K, et al. Abstract 0212. Presented at: ACR Convergence 2022; November 11-14, 2022; Philadelphia (hybrid meeting).
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