title: Effectiveness of the telephonic-case-management for     treatment of headache. A pilot study.
abstract: Chronic or intermittent headache affects the patients' quality     of life, and has direct and indirect social costs. Several chronic     illnesses are already treated through telephone counseling, however there     is poor evidence in literature about headache treatment via telenursing,     and it is not clear which role could the nurse play in this specific     field. The study was carried out at the headache centre of "G. D'Annunzio"     University - Chieti, and involved 62 patients, half of them were assigned     to receive specialized telenursing in addiction to the standard care bean.     During the 13 weeks of follow up the headache characteristics were     regularly assessed (frequency and intensity). Pain assessment was     performed using the VAS, and quality of life was assessed at baseline and     at the end of the follow up using the SF-12 standard V1 questionnaire. The     differences between the two groups are statistically significant during     the last 5 week of follow up, (8th -12th; 0.002<p<0.03). Patients in     the experimental group show a better compliance to the therapeutic plan (p     < 0.5), report a better quality of life (p < 0.5), and had lesser     contacts with the GP or the casualty clinic. The headache frequency did     not differ between the two groups, but the patients in the experimental     group reported a lesser intensity of pain. A telephone counseling given by     specialized nurses can help to reduce the hospitalization rates, as well     as help the patient to comply to the therapeutic plan, and increases the     perceived psychophysical well being. During the three months of study, the     headache symptoms statistically reduced only during the last 5 weeks of     follow up. Further studies with a longer follow up are needed to better     assess the long term outcomes of this approach (symptoms management and     social and healthcare costs).
authors: Department of Medicine and Science of Aging, University G. d'Annunzio of Chieti. g.cicolini@unich.it
authors: Giancarlo
authors: G
authors: Cicolini
authors: Elisabetta
authors: E
authors: Palma
authors: Emmanuele
authors: E
authors: Tafuri
authors: Julita
authors: J
authors: Sansoni
authors: Maria Adele
authors: MA
authors: Giamberardino
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D019090:Case Management / Q000592:standards*; D005260:Female; D006261:Headache / Q000451:nursing*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010865:Pilot Projects; D055817:Telenursing; D013689:Telephone