Self-management and peer support among people with arthritis on a hospital joint replacement waiting list: A randomised controlled trial

152 patients with osteoarthritis on a joint replacement waiting list were randomized to a self-management and peer support program, or usual care. The primary outcomes were based on the Health Education Impact Questionnaire (HeiQ), measured over a 6 month period. Results indicated a modest improvement in health-directed behaviors, acquisition of skills, and reduction in stiffness in patients who received the intervention while on the joint replacement waiting list. However, no significant improvements were seen in the outcomes of quality of life, pain, disability, or depression.