Self-management Nursing Intervention for Women With Rheumatoid Arthritis

"Experimental Intervention (Self-Management Program):~In addition to standard care from a rheumatology specialist, the intervention group will receive the Chronic Disease Self-Management Program (CDSMP). This program is a group intervention that provides education on self-managing chronic diseases. The program consists of six weekly sessions, each lasting two and a half hours (including time for breaks and refreshments), for a total of six weeks. Each group will consist of 12 to 16 participants, and the sessions will follow a standardized, scripted format. Two group leaders, who have received training from a Master Trainer certified by Stanford University in how to implement the program, will lead the activities. For this study, the principal investigator and a nurse experienced in health education will undergo training from a CDSMP Master Trainer to ensure fidelity to the intervention."

"Conventional intervention (standard care):~The control group will receive standard care provided by a rheumatology specialist. This approach emphasizes clinical and clinimetric evaluations of rheumatoid arthritis. It includes applying validated disease activity indices (e.g., DAS28, CDAI, or SDAI), making therapeutic decisions, and adjusting medications according to current clinical practice guidelines. It also includes the standard clinical counseling provided during routine medical consultations. No additional self-management strategies or structured interventions beyond those already incorporated into routine healthcare practice will be included."