title: A comparison of lay-taught and professional-taught arthritis self-management courses.
abstract: One hundred subjects with arthritis were randomized into lay-taught, or professional-taught 12-h arthritis self-management courses, or a control group. Outcomes, knowledge, exercise, relaxation, disability, pain, and number of physician visits were measured aat baseline and 4 months. Professional-taught groups demonstrated greater knowledge gain while lay-taught groups had greater changes in relaxation (p less than .01) and a tendency toward less disability. Although it is impossible to draw definitive conclusions, this study suggests that lay leaders can teach arthritis self-management courses with results similar to those achieved by professionals.
mesh_terms: D001168:Arthritis / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D006801:Humans; D010353:Patient Education as Topic; D026741:Physical Therapy Modalities; D011897:Random Allocation; D012219:Rheumatology; D012648:Self Care