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Media Releases
Online Interaction Beneficial to Coping with Rheumatoid Arthritis
Columbia, Mo. (September 26, 2006) RAhelp.org, a research project designed to study the effectiveness of online health program in helping people with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) has not only attracted nationwide research participants, but also cultivated a loyal base of frequent visitors.
The website teaches those with RA how to cope more effectively with the disease and provides an online community to discuss their day-to-day experiences with the disease.
In the yearlong program, participants are encouraged to attend online workshops on self-management, consult experienced arthritis educators, visit an online library, post messages on discussion boards and engage in live conversations with fellow members in chat rooms. Launched by the Missouri Arthritis Rehabilitation Research and Training Center (MARRTC) last October, researchers gather and analyze responses and feedback from the participants in search for better ways to serve the group.
"When the program first started, participants were only able to use the website for 12 months," recalls Kathy Donovan Hanson, senior researcher at MARRTC. "But within just four weeks, they began to ask if this could be changed because they wanted to keep coming back even after the program is completed."
"I was really impressed," says the researcher, who has seen more than 1500 messages posted since the beginning of the program. In fact, Donovan Hanson says, for many members, visiting RAhelp.org has become an integral part of their coping strategies.
Although it's still early to draw scientific conclusions about the effectiveness of RAhelp.org in reducing pain, increasing self-efficacy and improving coping efforts, Donovan Hanson says, "just by reading the postings, you can feel how relieved our participants are to be able to come here and share with someone who is going through the same experience." When new medications come out, they exchange opinions and firsthand experiences; when holiday seasons arrive, they send each other greetings; when someone's grandchild is born, the whole group is thrilled with joy.
What participants like the most about the program, says Donovan Hanson, is probably the opportunity to openly talk about concerns, problems, and issues with people, both RA educators and fellow members, who understand exactly what they mean and what they've been through. "It's a place where everyone relies on each other and benefits from each other's experience."
A case in point is an engaging discussion about shoes. Because of the pain, swelling and deformity caused by RA to the feet, wearing shoes can be a real challenge. During the discussion, members reminisced about how they missed wearing fancy, pointed-toe, and high-heeled shoes. They also exchanged tips about where to find appropriate shoes. By doing so, "they get it off their chest, and everybody in the group understands it's not just whining," says Donovan Hanson.
According to MARRTC, the RAhelp.org project will close new participant recruitment by the end of November. If you are 18 years of age or older, have been diagnosed with RA by a doctor, have access to the Internet, and most importantly are interested in joining the group, please call Toll Free 1-888-740-6626 or visit http://rahelp.org/ for more information.
The Missouri Arthritis Research Rehabilitation and Training Center (MARRTC) was established in 1971 at the University of Missouri-Columbia Arthritis Center. MARRTC is funded by the U.S. Department of Education's National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research (H133B031120) and is the only federally funded arthritis rehabilitation research and training center in the country.
As part of the MU Health Communication Research Center (HCRC), MARRTC's mission is to become a national leader in the areas of disability management and communication, improve the quality of life and promote independent living among people who have arthritis and arthritic conditions. MARRTC's core message is "Disability is everyone's issue."
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