title: Patient education, disease activity and physical function: can we be more targeted? A cross sectional study among people with rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis and hand osteoarthritis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  In order to target educational needs of patients more effectively, an Austrian-German educational needs assessment tool (OENAT) was developed, the educational needs of patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), psoriatic arthritis (PsA) and hand osteoarthritis (HOA) were described and the relationships between educational needs, gender, disease activity and function were explored.
  
  
  METHODS
  The English ENAT was adapted into Austrian-German using Beaton's cross-cultural adaptation process. Internal construct validity was assessed by Rasch analysis. Educational needs across diagnostic groups and subgroups of patients were summarized descriptively and their relationship with disease activity and physical functioning explored.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The sample comprised 130 RA, 125 PsA and 48 HOA patients. Their mean ages ± SD were 56 ± 14, 51 ± 11 and 64 ± 7 years for RA, PsA and HOA; disease duration was 11 ± 9, 11 ± 11 and 14 ± 9 years, respectively. More than 70% in each patient group expressed interest in receiving education about their disease.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study showed that educational needs vary with personal characteristics. Patient education may be more targeted and effective, if gender, age, educational background and disease duration are taken into account. Correlations with disease activity and function suggest that the OENAT could enable identification of 'intervention points', which can be ideal opportunities for effective patient education.
authors.forename: Răzvan G
authors.initials: RG
authors.lastname: Drăgoi
authors.forename: Mwidimi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ndosi
authors.forename: Martina
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sadlonova
authors.forename: Jackie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hill
authors.forename: Mona
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Duer
authors.forename: Winfried
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Graninger
authors.forename: Josef
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Smolen
authors.forename: Tanja A
authors.initials: TA
authors.lastname: Stamm
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D015535:Arthritis, Psoriatic / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000628:therapy; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000628:therapy; D003431:Cross-Cultural Comparison; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D050823:Hand Joints / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D007802:Language; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D020380:Needs Assessment; D010003:Osteoarthritis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000628:therapy; D010353:Patient Education as Topic / Q000379:methods*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires