title: Spanish Arthritis Empowerment Program: a dissemination and effectiveness study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the effectiveness of the Spanish Arthritis Empowerment Program as presented by the Arthritis Foundation, Southern California Chapter, in Orange County, California.
  
  
  METHODS
  Participants with arthritis (n = 141) enrolled in the program between October 1999 and May 2001. All materials were in Spanish. Written pretest, 6-week posttest, and 6-month followup tests measured pain rating, self-report joint counts, function (modified Health Assessment Questionnaire [mHAQ]), self efficacy, self-care behavior, and arthritis knowledge.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Mean age was 51 years, 92% were female, 84% were born in Mexico, 55% had sixth grade education or less, and 60% had no medical insurance. Of the 141 participants, 118 completed 6-month followup testing. Repeated-measures analysis of variance showed significant improvement from pretest to 6-month followup in pain (6.0 versus 3.4); self efficacy (5.5 versus 8.4), self-care behavior (1.7 versus 4.9), arthritis knowledge (1.6 versus 4.5), and general health (2.1 versus 2.5), all at P < 0.001. Small improvement was reported in mHAQ (0.56 versus 0.50; P = 0.024).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The Spanish Arthritis Empowerment Program was successfully disseminated. Significant improvements in self efficacy and in arthritis symptoms were maintained at the 6-month followup.
authors.affiliation: Olive View-University of California Los Angeles Medical Center, Sylmar, University of California Los Angeles School of Medicine, and Veterans Affairs Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System, Sepulveda, USA. alinwong@ucla.edu
authors.forename: Andrew L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Wong
authors.forename: Judith O
authors.initials: JO
authors.lastname: Harker
authors.forename: Victoria P
authors.initials: VP
authors.lastname: Lau
authors.forename: Sue
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Shatzel
authors.forename: Lori H
authors.initials: LH
authors.lastname: Port
mesh_terms: D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001168:Arthritis / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D015438:Health Behavior; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006293:Health Promotion / Q000379:methods*; D006304:Health Status; D006630:Hispanic or Latino; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010353:Patient Education as Topic; D012648:Self Care; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires