Effects of a self-management course for patients with systemic lupus erythematosus

Background. For people living with systemic lupus erythematosus, the disease's potential variety and severity of manifestations and unpredictable course present challenges and repercussions in all arenas of life. Aim. A quasi-experimental study was conducted to examine the effects of a systemic lupus erythematosus self-management course for Korean patients on fatigue, coping skills, self-efficacy, depression, pain and disease activity. Methods. In a two-group pre- and post-test design, a total of 41 participants were assigned to the experimental group (21 participants) and to the control group (20 participants). The experimental group received six weekly 2-hour sessions for groups of 10-15 literate adults of all ages, while the control group did not receive any intervention. Outcome measures included fatigue, coping skills, self-efficacy, depression, pain and disease activity. Results. Patients who participated in the self-management course showed significant improvement in fatigue (P=0.049), coping skills (P=0.007), self-efficacy (P=0.001), and depression (P=0.025). There were no significant changes in pain and disease activity after the intervention. Conclusions. The systemic lupus erythematosus self-management course had effects in reducing fatigue and depression and improving coping skills and self-efficacy. This course is potentially a good nursing intervention that can be offered in community settings.