title: Effectiveness of an empowerment-based intervention for psoriasis among patients attending a medical spa.
abstract: There is increasing interest in the management of chronic diseases through patient self-efficacy procedures. Very few studies are available assessing the efficacy of empowerment-based educational interventions for psoriasis patients. To evaluate an educational programme for increasing empowerment, in a spa setting (Comano, Italy). An educational intervention with pre-post test for empowerment evaluation was employed with patients assigned either to a control (balneotherapy) or an experimental group (balneotherapy plus empowerment-based educational interventions) (quasi-experimental). The outcome measures were self-reported scores through validated tools for empowerment, severity of disease and quality of life, assessed before and after a single two-hour empowerment-based educational intervention. A total of 136 patients completed the study (control n. 49; experimental n. 87). The experimental group reported higher levels of empowerment with improved knowledge about the disease as compared to the control group. After the balneotherapy, both groups reported a positive effect on quality of life. Patients' characteristics linked to intervention effectiveness were identified. A single empowerment-based educational intervention has the potential to increase psoriasis patients' empowerment by means of increased knowledge. It is advisable to promote it as a standardized, low-cost practice for motivated patients.
authors.affiliation: Health Services Research Unit, Istituto Dermopatico dell'Immacolata-IRCCS, Rome, Italy. calogero.pagliarello@libero.it
authors.forename: Calogero
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Pagliarello
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Calza
authors.forename: Elisabetta
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Armani
authors.forename: Cristina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: DI Pietro
authors.forename: Stefano
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Tabolli
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001452:Balneology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010353:Patient Education as Topic; D011209:Power, Psychological; D011565:Psoriasis / Q000523:psychology*; D011788:Quality of Life; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires