Stanford Study of Mail-Based Arthritis-Care Program Seeks Volunteers.

STANFORD, Calif. -- People with arthritis, fibromyalgia or pain in their joints are invited to participate in a study of a self-management program delivered by mail. Called "Arthritis Yes I Can!," the program aims to help participants learn skills to manage their arthritis in their own homes.

Researchers from the Stanford University School of Medicine and the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill are seeking volunteers for the yearlong study, funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. They hope to determine whether verified methods of improving the lives of people with arthritis also work via mailed information, rather than in person.

The at-home "Arthritis Yes I Can" tool kit contains tip sheets on such topics as pain, exercise and fatigue, along with exercise and relaxation CDs, and a new edition of The Arthritis Helpbook, also available in Spanish as Como Convivir con su Artritis. The tool kit and questionnaires will be mailed directly to participants at no cost to them.

The program addresses such topics as:

--Techniques to deal with problems such as pain, fatigue, frustration, and isolation

--Appropriate exercise for maintaining and improving strength, flexibility and endurance

--Appropriate use of medications

--Effective communication with family, friends and health professionals

--Healthy eating

--Planning to take action

The program enhances regular medical treatment by giving participants the additional knowledge and skills they need to lead healthy lives. It will not conflict with participants' existing treatments or programs.

"Arthritis Yes I Can!" is based on ongoing research by Kate Lorig, DrPH, professor of medicine in the division of immunology and rheumatology at Stanford, who is also a nurse and longtime proponent of self-management techniques. In 1985, she developed the small-group Arthritis Self-Management Program -- also known as the Arthritis Self-Help Course and the Expert Patient -- which is now offered worldwide. Previous studies have found the program to be effective in improving participants' exercise behaviors, increasing self-efficacy and confidence, reducing pain, and lowering health-care costs.

The original program was difficult for some people to access, especially those who were homebound or otherwise unable to get to small-group meetings. Arthritis Foundation chapters and state health departments found that traditionally underserved populations, including rural African Americans and Spanish-speaking people, faced access barriers. To develop a version of the Arthritis Self-Management Program that is effective and easy for people to use in their homes, Lorig collaborated with colleagues at the University of North Carolina and at the CDC.

People living in the United States with arthritis, fibromyalgia, or pain in their joints are welcome to participate if they are age 18 or older and are willing to spend eight to 12 hours in self-study over four to six weeks.

Some participants will receive the "Arthritis Yes I Can!" materials shortly after they enroll. Others will receive them four months later. Participants will be randomly assigned to one of the two study groups. To enroll in the study or to receive more information, call [phone] for English or [phone] for Spanish, or e-mail [e-mail]

Stanford University Medical Center integrates research, medical education and patient care at its three institutions -- Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford Hospital & Clinics and Lucile Packard Children's Hospital at Stanford. For more information, please visit the Web site of the medical center's Office of Communication & Public Affairs at http://mednews.stanford.edu.