Health status and self‐management in patients with inflammatory arthritis—A five‐year follow‐up study after nurse‐led patient education

AIM: The aim of this study was to investigate changes in patients' self‐management and health status five years after nurse‐led patient education. DESIGN: A longitudinal study. METHODS: We collected self‐reported data on physical function, pain, tiredness, disease activity, psychological status, patient activation and self‐efficacy from a sample of Norwegian‐speaking adults with inflammatory arthritis that had participated in a randomised controlled study investigating the effects of nurse‐led patient education. Changes and associations in patients' health status and self‐management were analysed with paired sample t tests and multivariable linear regression analyses, respectively. RESULTS: Except from a small deterioration in patients' physical function, there were no changes in patients' health status 5 years after the nurse‐led patient education. Patients' self‐management skills were improved after 5 years. Self‐efficacy was positively associated with female gender, patient activation, less tiredness and less psychological distress.