Subsequent behavior of users of an arthritis information telephone service

Followup telephone interviews were conducted with a stratified random sample of 305 users of a prototype telephone information service for arthritis 2-4 months after their initial contact with the service. The percentage of respondents who reported taking at least 1 positive action for their arthritis because of service usage was 79%. The most frequently reported actions of users were asking their doctor more questions and greater compliance with their doctor's orders. About one-half of the respondents felt more in control of their arthritis because of service usage. Both the taking of at least 1 action and the taking of certain specific actions were significantly correlated with feeling more in control of the arthritis (P less than 0.01). Respondents who were less than 60 years old, black, or symptomatic were significantly more likely to take an action and took significantly more actions (P less than 0.01). This minimal intervention may stimulate positive behaviors for individuals with arthritis.