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Increasing and improving physical activity for patients with inflammatory arthritis
Rheumatoid-Arthritis-6.0-1
Scientific Study Title:
Effectiveness of Online Physical Activity Monitoring in Inflammatory Arthritis (OPAM-IA): A New Model of Care; Study Start Date:; January 2017
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Why did we do this research?

Physical activity is important in managing arthritis.

Reasons for inactivity include motivation, exercise doubts and limited counselling.

To address the problem of inactivity, we will test a new program at improving physical activity among rheumatoid (RA) and systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients.

What did we do?

OPAM-IA is a program that uses Fitbit Flex (wireless physical activity tracker) paired with FitViz (new application), and physical activity counselling to help people with RA and SLE be more physically active safely and at their own pace. Physical activity information will be collected by the Fitbit Flex and viewed through the FitViz by a physiotherapist to guide participant’s progress.

The OPAM-IA program consists of:

  • A one-time group education session in the Greater Vancouver Area
  • Using Fitbit Flex and FitViz app
  • Online/telephone physical activity counselling.

The Research Team

Principal Investigator

  • Linda Li, BSc(PT), MSc, PhD, FCAHS, Senior Scientist, Implementation Science, Arthritis Research Canada (University of British Columbia)

Co-Investigators

  • Lynne Feehan, BScPT, MSc, PhD, Lead, Clinical Research, Rehabilitation, Fraser Health; Clinical Associate Professor, (University of British Columbia)
  • J. Antonio Avina-Zubieta, MD, MSc, PhD, FRCPC, Senior Scientist, Rheumatology, Arthritis Research Canada (University of British Columbia)
  • Charles Goldsmith, MSc, PhD, Professor, Biostatistics, (Simon Fraser University)
  • Anne Townsend, MA, PhD, Affiliate Scientist, Bioethics, Arthritis Research Canada (Lancaster University)
  • Catherine Backman, PhD, FCAOT, Senior Scientist, Rehabilitation, Arthritis Research Canada (University of British Columbia)
  • Diane Gromala, PhD, Professor, (Simon Fraser University)
  • Chris Shaw, PhD, Associate Professor, (Simon Fraser University)

Research Staff

  • Halima Elmi, Research Coordinator, Arthritis Research Canada
  • Juliane Chien, Research Assistant, Arthritis Research Canada
  • Johnathan Tam, Research Assistant, Arthritis Research Canada
  • Jenny Leese , MA, PhD, Post-Doctoral Fellow, Arthritis Research Canada Trainee
  • Jasmina Geldman, Research Coordinator, Arthritis Research Canada
  • Graham Macdonald, Research Assistant, Arthritis Research Canada

Collaborators

  • Greg Noonan, Mary Pack Arthritis Program
  • Paul Adam, Mary Pack Arthritis Program
  • Dr. Leigh Callahan, Thurston Arthritis Research Center
  • Pam Montie, Arthritis Patient Advisory Board
  • Cherly Koehn, Arthritis Consumer Experts
  • John Esdaile, MD, MPH, FRCPC, FCAHS, MACR, Scientific Director Emeritus, Arthritis Research Canada (University of British Columbia)
  • Kamran Shojania, MD, FRCPC, Clinical Trialist, Rheumatology, Arthritis Research Canada (University of British Columbia)
  • Dr. David Collins, (University of British Columbia)
  • Dr. Jason Kur, Pacific Arthritis Centre
  • Dr. Jennifer Reynolds, Vancouver General Hospital
  • Dr. Ken Blocka, (University of British Columbia)
  • Shahin Jamal, MD, FRCPC, MSc, Clinician Investigator, Arthritis Research Canada, (University of British Columbia)

Who Funded This Research?

The Arthritis Society

How Can People Get Involved?

Our team consists of 7 co-investigators, 6 research staff and 12 collaborators. Sixty people with RA and sixty people with SLE will be recruited. Eligibility criteria consists of:

  • RA or SLE diagnosis.
  • No previous experience in using any physical activity wearables.
  • Participants will be randomly assigned to one of the two groups to either receive the intervention immediately or wait 2 months before getting the intervention. Participants in the Immediate Group will be asked to attend a group education session, use a Fitbit Flex with the FitViz app, and receive counselling by a registered physiotherapist. Participants in the Delayed Group will wait 2 months to start the same intervention. Throughout the study, assessments will be done at the beginning, and at the end of months 2, 4, and 6. These assessments include an online questionnaire and wearing another research based accelerometer for 7 days.

For more information, please view the OPAM-IA recruitment notice (https://arthritisresearch.ca/participate-opam-ia-a-physical-activity-intervention). If you are Interested in participating, you can click here (http://open.arthritisresearch.ca/survey/index.php?r=survey/index/sid/455398/lang/en) to access our short screening questionnaire and contact the study coordinator.

Contact: Juliane Chien, Research Assistant

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