Evaluation of change in fatigue, self-efficacy and health-related quality of life, after a group educational intervention programme for persons with neuromuscular diseases or multiple sclerosis: a pilot study.
OBJECTIVE
An intervention for persons with neuromuscular diseases (NMD) or multiple sclerosis (MS) who experienced severe fatigue was developed which aimed at educating participants in maintaining a balance between capacity and load in their daily activities. This pilot study evaluated the results of this intervention.


METHODS
Persons with NMD or MS who experienced severe fatigue were included. Outcome measures were: fatigue (Fatigue Severity Scale), health-related quality of life (HRQoL; SF-36) and self-efficacy (ALCOS-16). Changes in scores between the start of the intervention (T0) and 3 months post-intervention (T1) were tested with the Wilcoxon tests in the complete group and in subgroups (gender, education, high/low self-efficacy).


RESULTS
Forty-three persons participated. Significant improvements of HRQoL were found for the domains role-physical, mental health and general health perceptions. Subgroup analyses showed more improvement in males (fatigue, role-physical, vitality, bodily pain, general health perceptions), participants with lower education (role-physical, vitality) and participants with low self-efficacy at T0 (self-efficacy, mental health, general health perceptions) than in females, participants with higher education and participants with higher initial self-efficacy.


CONCLUSIONS
This pilot-study provides preliminary evidence for the effectiveness of a group educational intervention in improving HRQoL without increasing fatigue in persons with NMD and MS.
Boosman
Hileen
H
Department of Rehabilitation, Nursing Science and Sports, University Medical Center Utrecht, Rudolf Magnus Institute for Neuroscience Utrecht, The Netherlands.
Visser-Meily
Johanna M A
JM
Meijer
Jan-Willem G
JW
Elsinga
Annette
A
Post
Marcel W M
MW
D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005221:Fatigue / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009103:Multiple Sclerosis / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D009426:Netherlands; D009468:Neuromuscular Diseases / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D010353:Patient Education as Topic / Q000379:methods*; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011788:Quality of Life; D020377:Self Efficacy; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult