Background/Purpose: Patients diagnosed with psoriatic arthritis (PsA) confront decisions about how to optimize treatment of their chronic disease including patient physician interaction and modifying their own lifestyle choices that may impact their disease outcomes. The objective of this study was to examine PsA patients’ views and attitudes of managing their disease using a guided online wellness program to address lifestyle behaviors such as nutrition, exercise, sleep, and stress management.

Methods: A cross-sectional online survey was developed with patient and clinician input and administered to US adults with a self-reported diagnosis of PsA in the ArthritisPower registry. Survey questions assessed participant (pt) experience with, and motivations to participate in, an online wellness program that consists of completing 4 modules focused on lifestyle behaviors using e-coaching intervention. E-coaching is a validated tool using email coaching as an individualized tailored communication on wellness strategies to improve lifestyle behaviors.

Results: 186 pts completed the survey, of whom 86.0% were female, 89.8% white, mean age 56.9 (SD 12.1) years, and 10.0 (SD 10.6) years since PsA diagnosis (Table 1). More than three-fourths (76.9%) of pts reported that wellness is ‘very important’ for management of their PsA, with 80.1% of pts considering sleep and 67.7% considering nutrition an important aspect of wellness they are currently learning about or improving. However, only 10.8% of pts are currently participating in a structured wellness program. Feeling better was the top motivator for participating in a wellness program (69, 37.1%) and 77.4% of pts reported they think about wellness now more than before their PsA diagnosis. About a quarter of pts would prefer to participate in a wellness program by interacting with an online trained professional (27.4%), followed by attending an online course (18.8%) vs in-person or self-guided sessions (Table 2). In reporting barriers to wellness changes, cost was selected by half of pts (50.5%) followed by not having the energy to make changes (46.8%) (Table 3). Nearly one-tenth (9.7%) of pts reported having no barriers to participation in wellness programs.

Conclusion: Majority of patients consider wellness to be very important to management of PsA, especially since diagnosis. Feeling better is a top motivator, while cost and lack of energy to make changes were top barriers to adopting wellness behaviors. Our study results support the use of guided online participation in wellness programs as preferred to in-person or self-directed programs. Further studies are needed to elucidate how e-coaching wellness platforms may improve and sustain lifestyle changes in PsA patients.

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ACR Meeting Abstracts - https://acrabstracts.org/abstract/managing-psoriatic-arthritis-patients-views-and-attitudes-to-using-an-online-wellness-program/