[Patient education in chronic polyarthritis. 2. Organizational and curriculum concept of patient seminars for chronic polyarthritis patients].

In our outpatient rheumatology unit, nearly all patients with rheumatoid arthritis (n = 412, responder rate 89%) were asked for their concepts of patient information and what they thought the aims of a patient education program should be. The patients preferred information about biomedical and practical aspects of their disease more than talking about psychosocial problems. In the same way, from a patient education program they wanted cognitive knowledge and practical help for the daily coping with the disease more than psychological help. Considering the results of the interviews, we developed an educational program for outpatients with rheumatoid arthritis. Its organization and curriculum reflect didactic and methodical aspects of patient information in a chronic rheumatic disease.