title: Evaluation of the effectiveness of professionally guided self-care for people with multiple sclerosis living in the community: a randomized controlled trial.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of the study was to assess the efficacy of a patient-focused professionally guided self-care programme for the management of multiple sclerosis (MS) in the community.
  
  
  METHODS
  This was a single-blind randomized controlled trial.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study was conducted with people with MS living in the community.
  
  
  METHODS
  Two hundred and seventy-eight people with MS were invited to take part in the study. One hundred and eighty-nine people consented to take part (68%). Of these 183 began the study and 169 (92.3%) completed it. Seventy-three individuals were in the intervention group and 96 were in the control group.
  
  
  METHODS
  The intervention comprised discussion of self-care based on client priorities, using an information booklet about self-care.
  
  
  METHODS
  These included the Barthel Index, a measure of mobility, the SF-36, and the Standard Day Dependency Record (SDDR) which measures the need for assistance with daily activities. Assessments were conducted at baseline and again six months later.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Changes in health status were small. However, at follow-up the intervention group had better SF-36 health scores, in mental health (p = 0.04), and vitality (p = 0.05) and considered help with daily activities to be less essential, as measured by the SDDR (p = 0.04), than the control group. Participants in the intervention group had maintained levels of independence at follow-up (p = 0.62) while the control group showed a significant decrease in independence (p= 0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This intervention could be a useful aid for health professionals who are supporting people with MS living in the community.
authors.affiliation: Research Group, NFER-Nelson, Darville House, Windsor, UK. louise.o'hara@nfer-nelson.co.uk
authors.forename: Louise
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: O'Hara
authors.forename: Heather
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Cadbury
authors.forename: Souza Lorraine
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: De
authors.forename: Lorely
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Ide
mesh_terms: D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D005260:Female; D006305:Health Status Indicators; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009103:Multiple Sclerosis / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care; D016037:Single-Blind Method