RHEUMABUDDY COACH
Supported self-management program for patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis based on ACT, HAPA and evidence-based content
RheumaBuddy Coach is a digital therapeutics (DTx) designed to help people with rheumatoid arthritis who struggle with symptoms such as pain and fatigue despite being medically well-treated.
The solution emphasizes self-management through empowerment, encouraging individuals to master their condition and take control of their disease, thereby leading to improved quality of life.
The challenge
People with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), despite being medically well treated, still often suffer from remaining symptoms. In fact, 50-80% of patients continue to experience symptoms like fatigue and pain, significantly impairing their quality of life. They are often left to manage on their own, and their actions or inactions significantly influence their well-being and ability to live a normal life.
The innovation
Self-management has proven effective in addressing RA symptoms, but it requires support to be successful. This inspired us to develop RheumaBuddy coach, the digital therapeutic (DTx) self-management solution that allows people with RA to learn about relevant topics for coping well, perform physical and mental exercises, and reflect on their progress towards improved quality of life. The solution is a user-friendly smartphone application built on two proven frameworks, namely Health Action Process Approach (HAPA) and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT). Patients are introduced to a broad range of non-pharmacological, self-management interventions in the initial 12-week program, and hereafter continuously supported to maintain desired habits.
The outcome
The solution is designed for positive care effect and is currently undergoing a clinical trial to prove its effect on patients’ quality of life, health literacy and state of health.
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The Health Action Process Approach (HAPA), developed by Ralf Schwarzer, is a psychological framework for understanding and influencing health behaviors. It has two phases:
Motivational Phase: Individuals form intentions to change behavior, focusing on risk perception, outcome expectancies, and self-efficacy.
Volitional Phase: Involves planning and executing behavior change, divided into action planning (steps to achieve the behavior) and coping planning (strategies to overcome barriers). Self-efficacy is key for maintaining the behavior.
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Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), developed by Steven C. Hayes, is a third generation cognitive behavioral therapy model that empowers individuals to lead meaningful lives by aligning their actions with their core values and effectively managing psychological challenges. ACT emphasizes psychological flexibility through six foundational processes:
Acceptance: Embrace thoughts and feelings.
Cognitive Defusion: Detach from thoughts.
Being Present: Stay aware of the present moment.
Self-as-Context: See oneself as a context for experiences.
Values Clarification: Identify important values.
Committed Action: Act effectively despite challenges.
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The solution includes evidence-based content, which is introduced stepwise as a program. The users will learn about relevant topics for coping well, perform physical and mental exercises, and reflect on their progress towards improved quality of life.
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Our concept development team, including skilled user experience designers, has co-created and tested this solution with people living with RA and leading rheumatologists. This collaborative approach has ensured that the solution is tailored to their needs, is easy to understand, user-friendly, and highly motivating.
The concept is informed by 4 components: