WAITING ROOM PROJECT: IMPROVING HEALTHCARE of SYSTEMIC LUPUS ERYTHEMATOSUS PATIENTS

ABSTRACT

Background: Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) prognosis is determined by a wide range of factors, such as the severity of the disease manifestations, the psychosocial aspects of patients, the proper management of comorbidities, adoption of a healthy lifestyle and adherence to treatment. Studies on chronic diseases highlight the value of patient education to foster treatment adherence and improve prognosis. Objectives: To promote health education to SLE patients and their families providing accessible and comprehensive Scientific information, in order to improve adherence to treatment and the patient's prognosis. Methods: The Waiting Room Project is linked to the Extension Health Care Program for SLE patients and their families of Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Brazil, since 2011. A total of 700 patients under SLE treatment at the Rheumatology Unit of the University Hospital are involved. Medical students and rheumatology fellows, altogether, developed high-quality informative texts, with clear content and layman language appropriate for the patient, under the supervision of the rheumatology professors. The texts are illustrated by the team of the Communication Department of the Medical School and medical students, and are printed in a leafet format. The material is handed out to the patients, while they wait for their medical appointment, by the students and the care team. The content of the leafets is discussed, making sure that all the concerns and doubts are properly addressed Results: The Waiting Room Project has produced 17 leafets, addressing different aspects of SLE, comorbidities, and treatment. The texts approach the traditional cardiovascular risk factors (Smoking, Arterial Hypertension, Diabetes, Obesity, Physical Activity), and some medical conditions related to general health and SLE treatment (Sun Protection, Healthy Food, Oral Care, Vaccination, Pregnancy, Osteoporosis). In 2020 and 2021, two leafets about Covid-19 were produced in order to clarify important aspects of this disease, its impact on lupus patients and to solve questions about SLE medications one regarding the association between Lupus and Covid-19 and another about the treatment of lupus and Covid-19. Other four leafets were produced concerning SLE treatment, including Adherence to Treatment, the use of Antimalarials, Corticos-teroids, and Immunosuppressants. Information about the drugs, general importance on lupus treatment, recommendations and possible adverse events were described. Futhermore, additional content is currently in production with themes such as Intravenous Corticosteroid and Cyclophosphamide, Human Papilloma-virus Infection, Malignant Neoplasm, and specifc cancers frequently affecting women, such as Colorectal Cancer, Cervical Cancer, and Breast Cancer. The leafets are also available online on the Medical School website in Portuguese and in English (medicina.ufmg.br/alo/material-didatico/), on the Minas Gerais Rheumatology Society website (reumatologia.org.br/orientacoes-ao-paciente/), and on the Instagram page @lupusufmg Conclusion: The leafets have been an important source of information and health education for SLE patients and their families, improving student/physician-patient communication. Despite the adversities caused by the coronavirus pandemic, the Waiting Room Project has kept its purpose to make each patient with SLE an agent of their healthcare. Improving the patients' access to evidence-based information must be a goal of healthcare professionals that treat patients with SLE.