KNOWLEDGE IN PATIENTS WITH RHEUMATOID-ARTHRITIS - A LONGER TERM FOLLOW-UP OF A RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED-STUDY OF PATIENT EDUCATION LEAFLETS

Despite the wide availability of disease-related leaf,ets, their impac t oil patients' knowledge and well-being has rarely been evaluated. A randomized controlled study of a 'Rheumatoid Arthritis' leaflet reveal ed increased knowledge among the intervention group after 3 weeks. In addition, the leaflet was viewed as a source of reassurance. The purpo se of the follow-up study was to determine whether the increase in kno wledge was maintained in the longer term and to examine psychological well-being. Eighty-four patients (42 intervention and 42 control) comp leted the 6 month follow-up. There were no significant changes (P > 0. 01) in mean outcome measures over the period 3 weeks-6 months for eith er the intervention or control groups. Patients in the intervention gr oup retained the increase in knowledge observed at 3 weeks. Moreover, there was no evidence of adverse reactions to the leaflet in terms of psychological distress. Leaflets can be effective in promoting longer term increases in knowledge.