Development of a brief multidisciplinary education programme for patients with osteoarthritis.

Background: Osteoarthritis (OA) is a prevalent progressive musculoskeletal disorder, leading to pain and disability. Patient information and education are considered core elements in treatment guidelines for OA; however, there is to our knowledge no evidence-based recommendation on the best approach, content or length on educational programmes in OA.

Objective: to develop a brief, patient oriented disease specific multidisciplinary education programme (MEP) to enhance self-management in patients with OA.

"I am not only a disease, I am so much more". Patients with rheumatic diseases' experiences of an emotion-focused group intervention.

Objective: To obtain understanding of how patients with rheumatic diseases experienced participation in an emotion-focused group intervention in terms of influences on their emotional well-being and coping behavior and the processes whereby these influences arose.

Methods: The intervention, Vitality Training (VTP), was conducted in 10 group sessions over 4 months. Qualitative data were collected from 10 focus group interviews (n=69) two weeks after the intervention.

Rheumatic diseases and sexuality: Disease impact and self-management strategies.

Objective: To explore how intimate relationships and sexuality are influenced by rheumatic diseases and to describe self-management strategies used to manage disease consequences.

Methods: To ensure that data were grounded in patients' language and experiences, individual and focus group interviews were conducted. Purposeful sampling was used to ensure variation in age, sex, disease duration, diagnosis, and marital status among the informants.

Exploring Tai Chi in rheumatoid arthritis: a quantitative and qualitative study.

Background: Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic, inflammatory and systemic disease which affects the musculoskeletal system. Exercise programmes are reported to improve physical functioning in patients with RA. Tai Chi is a traditional Chinese martial art which combines slow and gentle movements with mental focus.