Peer to Peer Mentoring: Facilitating Individuals With Early Inflammatory Arthritis to Manage Their Arthritis: Peer Mentoring Program

Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre

Status: Completed

Conditions: Early Inflammatory Arthritis; Chronic Disease

Treatments: Behavioral: peer support

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other; NETWORK

Identifiers

NCT01054131

420-2009

Details and patient eligibility

About

Inflammatory arthritis (IA) is a major cause of long-term disability. Peer support may be a solution to the common problem of delayed treatment. Early peer support may result in improved use of therapy, higher self-efficacy, reduced anxiety, and improved coping in the first two years post-diagnosis. The whole intervention study comprises of two parts: The first part involves the development and testing of a peer mentor training initiative, which is called "Peer to Peer Mentoring: Facilitating Individuals with Early Inflammatory Arthritis to Manage their Arthritis - Peer Mentor Training". The second part, which is the focus of this study, involves the delivery of a one-on-one peer support intervention from a trained peer mentor to an individual newly diagnosed with EIA. The feasibility and acceptability of the program will be determined, as well as the health outcomes following the participation of the program.

Enrollment: 10 estimated patients

Sex: All

Volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

1. Have EIA disease duration within 6-52 weeks
2. At least 3 swollen joints, assessed by the treating rheumatologist, OR positive compression test for the metacarpophalangeal joints OR positive compression test for the metatarsophalangeal joints OR at least 30 minutes of morning stiffness
3. Prescription of a DMARD/biologic by the treating rheumatologist
4. Ability to speak and understand English without the aid of a secondary support person; AND
5. Capability to provide informed consent.

Exclusion criteria

1. IA disease duration less than 6 weeks or greater than 1 year
2. Previous or ongoing DMARD or biologic treatment
3. Inability to speak or read grade 6 English; AND
4. Inability to provide informed consent