Integrating Behavioral Health Services for Individuals With Rheumatic Diseases: A Quantitative Analysis of a Pilot...

Area of Science:

• Rheumatology
• Behavioral Health
• Psychology

Background:

• Chronic pain, depression, and anxiety are common in rheumatic disease (RD), reducing quality of life (QoL).
• Behavioral health (BH) interventions can address these comorbidities and improve self-management.
• Integration of BH services into rheumatology settings is limited.

Purpose of the Study:

• To pilot a BH program integrated within an academic rheumatology clinic.
• To evaluate the feasibility and impact of the integrated BH program on patient-reported outcomes (PROs).

Main Methods:

• Adults with RD participated in up to eight telephone sessions with a BH specialist.
• Interventions included psychoeducation, motivational interviewing, and mindfulness, supplemented by apps and videos.
• Feasibility assessed via recruitment and retention; PROs measured pain interference, mood, anxiety, QoL, fatigue, sleep, and function.

Main Results:

• Twenty-eight participants completed the program, with most focusing on mood and anxiety improvement.
• Participants attended an average of 6.86 sessions.
• Statistically significant improvements were observed in most PROs (P < 0.05), excluding social satisfaction and physical function.

Conclusions:

• Integrating BH services into rheumatology clinics is feasible.
• The pilot program showed promising trends in improving patient-reported outcomes.
• Further research is warranted to assess effectiveness and long-term sustainability.