Characterizing the concept of activity pacing as a non-pharmacological intervention in rheumatology care : results of an international Delphi survey

Cuperus, N; Vliet Vlieland, TPM; Brodin, N; Hammond, A; Kjeken, I; Lund, H; Murphy, S; Neijland, Y; Opava, CH; Roskar, S; Sargautyte, R; Stamm, T; Mata, XT; Uhlig, T; Zangi, H; van der Ende, CH

Abstract

Objective: To develop a consensual list of the most important aspects of activity pacing (AP) as an intervention within the context of non-pharmacological rheumatology care.
Method: An international, multidisciplinary expert panel comprising 60 clinicians and/or healthcare providers experienced in AP across 12 different countries participated in a Delphi survey. Over four Delphi rounds, the panel identified and ranked the most important goals of AP, behaviours of AP (the actions people take to meet the goal of AP),
strategies to change behaviour in AP, and contextual factors that should be acknowledged when instructing AP.
Additionally, topics for future research on AP were formulated and prioritized.
Results: The Delphi panel prioritized 9 goals, 11 behaviours, 9 strategies to change behaviour, and 10 contextual
factors of AP. These items were integrated into a consensual list containing the most important aspects of AP
interventions in non-pharmacological rheumatology care. Nine topics for future research on AP with the highest
ranking were included in a research agenda highlighting that future research should focus on the effectiveness of AP
interventions and on appropriate outcome measures to assess its effectiveness, as selected by 64% and 82% of the
panellists, respectively.
Conclusions: The diversity and number of items included in the consensual list developed in the current study reflect
the heterogeneity of the concept of AP. This study is an important first step in achieving more transparency and
homogeneity in the concept of AP in both rheumatology daily clinical practice and research.

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Jun 8, 2015
• Publication Date: Sep 4, 2015
• Deposit Date: Oct 13, 2015
• Publicly Available Date: Apr 5, 2016
• Journal: Scandinavian Journal of Rheumatology
• Print ISSN: 0300-9742
• Electronic ISSN: 1502-7732
• Publisher: Taylor and Francis
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 45
• Issue: 1
• Pages: 66-74
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.3109/03009742.2015.1052552
• Keywords: Activity pacing, Fatigue management, Rheumatology, arthritis, Delphi
• Publisher URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.3109/03009742.2015.1052552
• Related Public URLs: http://www.tandfonline.com/loi/irhe20#.VhznCahdUuc