The Statewide Partnership

In partnership with the Tennessee Chapter of the Arthritis Foundation (http://www.arthritis.org/Communities/Chapters/Chapter.asp?chapid=53), the Tennessee Department of Health’s Arthritis Control Program (http://www2.state.tn.us/health/healthpromotion/), and the University of Tennessee Medical Center’s Department of Family Medicine (http://www.utmedicalcenter.org), the University of Tennessee Extension is offering the Arthritis Foundation’s program, Arthritis Self-Help Program to Tennessee residents.

This unique partnership has been described in the CDC State Programs in Action Exemplary Work to Prevent Chronic Disease and Promote Health report for 2005 (http://www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/publications/exemplary/pdfs/Arthritis.pdf) as a model for how to reach under served populations in rural communities. Through the statewide network of county UT Extension educators, the Arthritis Foundation is able to expand its programs throughout the state.

Overall Arthritis Self-Help Program Goal

To decrease the disabling impact of arthritis on Tennesseans by teaching them how to self-manage their arthritis.

Program Objectives

To teach Tennesseans:

1. to improve their knowledge and skills needed to better self-manage their arthritis.
2. to decrease their pain and stiffness due to arthritis.
3. to develop more confidence as caretakers of their bodies.
4. to cope with feelings such as frustrations, anger, sadness and depression due to arthritis.
5. to increase frequency of exercise and relaxation.
6. to decrease medication use.
7. to control fatigue.

About the Program

For people with arthritis or fibromyalgia, living the most active life with the least amount of pain, fatigue and disability involves becoming an active partner in their arthritis care. This means working with their health care providers as well as learning how to manage their arthritis on a day-to-day basis. The Arthritis Self-Help Program is designed to help people learn and practice the different skills needed to build their own individualized self-management program, and gain the confidence to carry out this program.

The Arthritis Self-Help Program is a group education program designed to complement the professional services provided by the participant's physician and other members of their health care team. University of Tennessee Extension educators, who are trained and certified by the Tennessee Chapter of the Arthritis Foundation, teach the program. The program allows participants to share experiences with others, offering them the opportunity to both help and learn from each other.

The Arthritis Self-Help Program is designed to teach participants: To use the latest pain management techniques. To develop their own individualized exercise program. To manage their fatigue and stress more effectively. To understand the purposes and effective use of arthritis medications. To find solutions to problems caused by their arthritis. To develop techniques to deal with anger, fear, frustration and depression caused by their arthritis. To understand the role of nutrition in arthritis management. To learn new ways to communicate with family and friends. To form a partnership with their health-care team.

The program is six sessions. Each session is two-hours in length. Participants are provided with the book, The Arthritis Helpbook, written by Kate Lorig and James Fries.

This evidence-based program is designed to increase the self-confidence of participants to manage their arthritis. Specific efficacy-enhancing strategies used in this program include:

• Contracting: Weekly contracting helps participants master something new.
• Feedback: Opportunity is provided to report and record progress and explore different behaviors.
• Modeling: People learn more and try harder when they are motivated by people whom they perceive to be like themselves. Program participants and the trainer serve as models. The Arthritis Helpbook has been written with an emphasis on modeling
• Reinterpreting Symptoms and Changing Beliefs: People are pretty rational. They act based on beliefs. If people believe arthritis is a wear and tear disease, then they may not think they can exercise. If they think that nothing can be done for their arthritis, they are probably right. Throughout this program, there is a great emphasis on changing such beliefs.
• Persuasion: By seeing others in the class contract and succeed, even the most reluctant participant will often choose to take part. It is hard not to go along with others. The trainer urges participants to do a little more than they are doing now, such as walking four blocks instead of two.

The Program's Demonstrated Benefits

Past participants of the Arthritis Self-Help Program have experienced such benefits as increased knowledge about their arthritis, increased frequency of exercise and relaxation, increased self-confidence to control their arthritis symptoms, decreased depression, reduced pain by 20%, decreased physician visits by 40%, and decreased depression and reduction in medication use.

Program Length and Registration

The program consists of six two-hour sessions and is free to Tennessee residents, who participate in the program conducted by UT Extension educators.

Program Brochure and Registration Form

Take Charge of Your Joints: Tips for Living with Arthritis Brochure (SP526-O)

Program Availability

To find out about availability in your area, you can check the Arthritis Foundation web page or contact a certified UT Extension instructor in your county.

Want to Learn More About Arthritis?

To learn more about arthritis and the benefits of physical activity in managing the disease, visit the FCS Health & Safety – Arthritis page for great Web site links!

Test your knowledge of arthritis with our quiz - Arthritis Quiz: Do You Know the Basics?

State Contacts

For more information about the UT Extension Health & Safety programs, please contact your local County Extension FCS Agent .