Objective: To examine the effectiveness of two telephone intervention strategies for improving the health outcomes of patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE).
Methods: Fifty-eight SLE patients were randomly assigned to receive a 6-month telephone counseling intervention using either a treatment counseling (TC) or symptom monitoring (SM) strategy. Health outcomes were assessed using the Fatigue Severity Scale (FSS) and the Arthritis Impact Measurement Scales 2 (AIMS2).
Results: At the 6-month followup, the mean AIMS2 Physical Function scale and AIMS2 Social Support scale scores were significantly improved (P < 0.05) for the TC group compared to the SM groups. The mean FSS score, AIMS2 Affect score, and AIMS2 Pain score were significantly improved (P < 0.05) for both groups.
Conclusions: Telephone interventions, especially using the TC approach, can be effective for improving the functional status of persons with SLE.