Stimulating active coping in patients with rheumatic diseases: a systematic review of controlled group intervention studies.

Teaching patients with rheumatic diseases to cope actively with their problems may increase the social support they receive and, also, the quality of their lives. In this paper, a systematic review of coping interventions for people with rheumatic diseases is described. Fourteen controlled trials were selected. Effects on quality of life have been measured in 13 studies of which 6 found positive effects. Effects on social support have been found in one of four studies investigating this variable. Coping has been measured in three studies with effects found on active coping in one study. There is a need for well-designed research on the effects of active coping in people with rheumatic diseases, as this may open new perspectives in patient education.