Abstract

• This study was conducted to test whether a comprehensive health promotion program for rheumatoid arthritis (CHPRRA) affected patients' health promotion strategies and knowledge about the disease, thus leading to the improvement of health status by using repeated measure of quasi- experiment design. Eighteen RA patients who visited the RA clinic of an university hospital located in Inchon were invited to participate in the CHPPRA. According to the study results, it was shown that the CHPPRA had significant effects on the patients' health status such as pain, depression, and functional disability. Also, that the improvement of health status was achieved by a positive change in the four health promotion strategies, which consisted of goal setting, positive thinking, exercise, and knowledge about the disease. Goal setting, positive thinking, and knowledge about the disease could also affect the patients' depression. Thus it can be interpreted that the improvement of these strategies may result in a remarkable decrease of depression. In addition, alleviation of functional disability may be due to increase of exercise. However although the strategies which were directly associated with pain management were not significantly improved, pain was significantly reduced. On the other hand, the study result showed that the other health promotion strategies included in CHPPRA such as pain management, positive thinking, stress management, asking for assistance and communication were not significantly increased. although the health status such as pain, depression, and functional disability, which are final goals of the program, were significantly improved through the exposition of patients to those health promotion strategies.
• Keywords: Rheumatoid arthritis; Health Promotion Program; Health Behaviors; Health Status

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