Online Disease Management Training for Older Adults With Osteoarthritis: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Using online methods in health education is an effective method that provides individual services to older adults with limited access to health services and allows for low-cost and continuous communication.

The study was completed with 52 older adults diagnosed with osteoarthritis, including 26 intervention and 26 control participants. For data collection, a Patient Information Form, Visual Analogue Scale, the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index, Self-Efficacy Scale in Arthritis, World Health Organization Quality of Life Instrument-Older Adults Module and a Telephone Counselling Follow-up Form were used. Individuals in the intervention group were provided with online training for the first 4 weeks and telephone counselling for the following 4 weeks. Scales were applied to both groups.

The scales were applied to both groups at the first, second and last measurements. It was determined that there was a significant difference between the total pain and functional status scores of the individuals in the intervention and control groups at the second and last measurement (p < 0.05), while the average scores of the intervention group were lower control group. The total self-efficacy score and quality of life total score of the intervention group were statistically significantly higher than the total score of the control group (p < 0.05).

As a result of the research, it was found that online education and telephone counselling given to elderly individuals with osteoarthritis were effective in reducing pain severity and improving functional status, self-efficacy and quality of life.

The trial was registered at ClinicalTrial.gov (NCT04816474/2021-08-10/https://register.

gov/).