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an On-demand Program to EmpoweR Active Self-management (OPERAS) (OPERAS)

The safety and scientific validity of this study is the responsibility of the study sponsor and investigators. Listing a study does not mean it has been evaluated by the U.S. Federal Government. Read our disclaimer for details.
 
ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT03404245
Recruitment Status : Active, not recruiting
First Posted : January 19, 2018
Last Update Posted : May 26, 2022
Sponsor:
Collaborators:
Simon Fraser University
Arthritis Research Centre of Canada
Vancouver General Hospital
The Arthritis Society, Canada
Fraser Health
Information provided by (Responsible Party):
Linda Li, University of British Columbia

Study Description
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Brief Summary:
Self-management is a key component of successful chronic disease management and patients can benefit from learning about how daily activities and treatments relate to their symptoms and health status on an ongoing basis. The primary goal of this randomized controlled trial is to assess the efficacy of an e-health intervention, OPERAS, which includes two components: 1) the use of a newly developed web app to self-monitor symptoms/disease activity and treatment use, and help patients identify when a medical visit or treatment change is needed; 2) remote activity counselling provided by a physiotherapist, with the use of a wearable device (Fitbit) and the app to provide activity level feedback. The app component of OPERAS is hosted by the secure network of Arthritis Research Canada.

Condition or disease Intervention/treatment Phase
Joint Disease Rheumatoid Arthritis Behavioral: Education, Fitbit/self-management app, physiotherapist counselling. Behavioral: Same intervention with a 6 month delay Not Applicable

Detailed Description:

Self-management is a fundamental component in arthritis care, however, it is often neglected as most models of arthritis care focus on early access to medical consultation and surgical interventions. Patient self-management refers to the active participation of patients in a variety of activities that contribute to lessening the physical and emotional impact of illnesses. There are several factors attributing to a lack of self-management practice, such as frustration from managing health on a trial-and-error basis, a lack of knowledge to effectively monitor symptoms and disease, and being unsure about how to manage physical activities without aggravating symptoms. The variety of risk factors highlight the need for a multifaceted approach that provides support in terms of knowledge, skill development and timely advice from health professionals, as well as motivational support for patients to be engaged in their care and to stay physically active.

Our primary objective is to assess the efficacy of an e-health intervention, OPERAS, which integrates the Arthritis Health Journal and a Physical Activity Counselling program, to improve self-management ability. Our secondary objectives are to explore the effect of the intervention on disease status and physical activity levels and to assess barriers to implementation and sustainability of the e-health intervention in (rheumatoid arthritis) RA management.

The investigators will use a mixed-methods approach, involving a randomized controlled trial (RCT) and in-depth interviews. The proof-of-concept study will employ a stepped wedge RCT design, whereby the intervention will be sequentially rolled out to participants over a number of time periods. The order in which individuals receive the intervention will be determined at random. The strength of this design is that it can properly address the efficacy question, while avoiding the dilemma of withholding the intervention to some participants, as in a parallel group design.

Study Design
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Study Type : Interventional  (Clinical Trial)
Actual Enrollment : 132 participants
Allocation: Randomized
Intervention Model: Crossover Assignment
Masking: Single (Outcomes Assessor)
Primary Purpose: Supportive Care
Official Title: Empowering Active Self-management of Arthritis: Raising the Bar With OPERAS (an On-demand Program to EmpoweR Active Self-management)
Actual Study Start Date : January 23, 2019
Estimated Primary Completion Date : December 30, 2022
Estimated Study Completion Date : January 31, 2023

Resource links provided by the National Library of Medicine

MedlinePlus related topics: Arthritis

Arms and Interventions
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Arm Intervention/treatment
Active Comparator: Immediate Intervention Group
Education, Fitbit/self-management web app, physiotherapist counselling. These 3 components will be delivered to the participants in Months 1 and 2. The session will include a short presentation about physical activity in everyday life, an individual goal-setting session with a registered physical therapist (PT), and an orientation to the Fitbit device and the web app. Participants will be provided access to a Fitbit and an app account. The PT will review physical activity goals with participants via bi-weekly phone calls and progressively modify their activities. In Month 3-6, participants will continue using Fitbit and the app and have access to a PT via email as needed, but no phone call. In Months 7-12, participants may keep their Fitbit and app account, but will not have access to a PT.
 Behavioral: Education, Fitbit/self-management app, physiotherapist counselling.
Participants will receive a brief education session, use a physical activity tracker Fitbit Flex paired with a self-management app, and remote counseling by a PT. Intervention will be received immediately.
Placebo Comparator: Delayed Intervention Group
Same intervention with a 6 month delay: The full intervention will be initiated in Month 7 and 8 with a brief education session, use of a Fitbit paired with the self-management web app, and counseling by a physical therapist (PT). In Month 9-12, participants will continue the intervention without the PT phone calls, but will have email access to PT, if needed.
 Behavioral: Same intervention with a 6 month delay
The Delayed Intervention Group will receive the same intervention as the Immediate Intervention Group, but with a 6 month delay.


Outcome Measures
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Primary Outcome Measures :
  1. Patient Activation Measure [ Time Frame: Baseline ]
    Patient Activation Measure is a 13-item self-reported measure of individuals' confidence in managing chronic diseases. Each item has a 4-point response (1 "strongly disagree"; 4 "strongly agree"), with the aggregate raw score converted to 0-100. Hibbard et al presented a 4-stage activation model derived from the standardized scores: 1) Believing an active role is important (PAM score <47); 2) Having confidence and knowledge to take action (47.1 - 55.1); 3) Taking action (55.2 - 67); 4) Maintaining healthy behaviours despite setbacks (> 67.1).

  2. Patient Activation Measure [ Time Frame: 6 months ]
    Patient Activation Measure is a 13-item self-reported measure of individuals' confidence in managing chronic diseases. Each item has a 4-point response (1 "strongly disagree"; 4 "strongly agree"), with the aggregate raw score converted to 0-100. Hibbard et al presented a 4-stage activation model derived from the standardized scores: 1) Believing an active role is important (PAM score <47); 2) Having confidence and knowledge to take action (47.1 - 55.1); 3) Taking action (55.2 - 67); 4) Maintaining healthy behaviours despite setbacks (> 67.1).

  3. Patient Activation Measure [ Time Frame: 12 months ]
    Patient Activation Measure is a 13-item self-reported measure of individuals' confidence in managing chronic diseases. Each item has a 4-point response (1 "strongly disagree"; 4 "strongly agree"), with the aggregate raw score converted to 0-100. Hibbard et al presented a 4-stage activation model derived from the standardized scores: 1) Believing an active role is important (PAM score <47); 2) Having confidence and knowledge to take action (47.1 - 55.1); 3) Taking action (55.2 - 67); 4) Maintaining healthy behaviours despite setbacks (> 67.1).


Secondary Outcome Measures :
  1. Rheumatoid Arthritis Disease Activity Index [ Time Frame: Baseline ]
    Rheumatoid Arthritis Disease Activity Index consists of: 1) global disease activity; 2) joint tenderness/swelling; 3) pain; 4) morning stiffness; 5) number/severity of painful joints. Score ranges from 0 - 10; lower = better.

  2. Rheumatoid Arthritis Disease Activity Index [ Time Frame: 6 months ]
    Rheumatoid Arthritis Disease Activity Index consists of: 1) global disease activity; 2) joint tenderness/swelling; 3) pain; 4) morning stiffness; 5) number/severity of painful joints. Score ranges from 0 - 10; lower = better.

  3. Rheumatoid Arthritis Disease Activity Index [ Time Frame: 12 months ]
    Rheumatoid Arthritis Disease Activity Index consists of: 1) global disease activity; 2) joint tenderness/swelling; 3) pain; 4) morning stiffness; 5) number/severity of painful joints. Score ranges from 0 - 10; lower = better.

  4. Daily Moderate/Vigorous Physical Activity time [ Time Frame: Baseline ]
    Time spent in Moderate/Vigorous Physical Activity (MVPA) is measured with a SenseWear Mini sensor over a 7-day period. We will calculate the mean time spent in bouted MVPA per day. A bout is defined as >= 10 consecutive minutes or more at the level of >= 3 METs (i.e., the lower bound of MVPA), with allowance for interruption of up to one minute below the threshold.

  5. Daily Moderate/Vigorous Physical Activity time [ Time Frame: 6 months ]
    Time spent in Moderate/Vigorous Physical Activity (MVPA) is measured with a SenseWear Mini sensor over a 7-day period. We will calculate the mean time spent in bouted MVPA per day. A bout is defined as >= 10 consecutive minutes or more at the level of >= 3 METs (i.e., the lower bound of MVPA), with allowance for interruption of up to one minute below the threshold.

  6. Daily Moderate/Vigorous Physical Activity time [ Time Frame: 12 months ]
    Time spent in Moderate/Vigorous Physical Activity (MVPA) is measured with a SenseWear Mini sensor over a 7-day period. We will calculate the mean time spent in bouted MVPA per day. A bout is defined as >= 10 consecutive minutes at the level of >= 3 METs (i.e., the lower bound of MVPA), with allowance for interruption of up to one minute below the threshold.

  7. Daily sedentary time [ Time Frame: Baseline ]
    Time spent in sedentary activity is measured with a SenseWear Mini sensor over a 7-day period. We will calculate the mean daily time spent in sedentary activity, with an energy expenditure of <=1.5 METs, occurring in bouts of >= 20 minutes during waking hours

  8. Daily sedentary time [ Time Frame: 6 months ]
    Time spent in sedentary activity is measured with a SenseWear Mini sensor over a 7-day period. We will calculate the mean daily time spent in sedentary activity, with an energy expenditure of <=1.5 METs, occurring in bouts of >= 20 minutes during waking hours

  9. Daily sedentary time [ Time Frame: 12 months ]
    Time spent in sedentary activity is measured with a SenseWear Mini sensor over a 7-day period. We will calculate the mean daily time spent in sedentary activity, with an energy expenditure of <=1.5 METs, occurring in bouts of >= 20 minutes during waking hours


Eligibility Criteria
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Ages Eligible for Study:   18 Years and older   (Adult, Older Adult)
Sexes Eligible for Study:   All
Accepts Healthy Volunteers:   No
Criteria

Inclusion Criteria:

  • a physician confirmed diagnosis of RA
  • no joint surgery in the past 6 months
  • no history of acute injury to any joints in the past 6 months
  • an email address and daily access to a computer or mobile device.

Exclusion Criteria:

  • people who should not be physically active without medical supervision.
Contacts and Locations
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Information from the National Library of Medicine

To learn more about this study, you or your doctor may contact the study research staff using the contact information provided by the sponsor.

Please refer to this study by its ClinicalTrials.gov identifier (NCT number): NCT03404245


Locations
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Canada, British Columbia
Arthritis Research Canada
Richmond, British Columbia, Canada, V6X 2C7
Sponsors and Collaborators
University of British Columbia
Simon Fraser University
Arthritis Research Centre of Canada
Vancouver General Hospital
The Arthritis Society, Canada
Fraser Health
Investigators
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Principal Investigator: Linda Li, PhD Professor
More Information
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Publications automatically indexed to this study by ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier (NCT Number):

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Responsible Party: Linda Li, Professor, University of British Columbia
ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT03404245    
Other Study ID Numbers: H17-03424
First Posted: January 19, 2018    Key Record Dates
Last Update Posted: May 26, 2022
Last Verified: May 2022
Individual Participant Data (IPD) Sharing Statement:
Plan to Share IPD: No

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Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated Drug Product: No
Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated Device Product: No
Keywords provided by Linda Li, University of British Columbia:
Physical Activity
Exercise
Rheumatoid
 Arthritis
Self-management
Symptoms
Additional relevant MeSH terms:
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Arthritis
Joint Diseases
Musculoskeletal Diseases