Grant: Undergraduate: Mobility, musculoskeletal health and arthritis - ICS

Fibromyalgia (FM) is a complex pain condition affecting 2 percent of Canadians. Patients with FM experience chronic widespread pain/ tenderness in the muscles. The heightened pain sensitivity can lead to significant negative impact on quality of life and disability. Along with accurate diagnosis and effective medications, research shows that elements such as proper patient education and exercise can greatly improve outcomes. The Arthritis Program (TAP) at Southlake Regional Health Centre has been offering an interprofessional, patient centered FM Education Program for over a decade. This program is delivered in a group format by the TAP team which consists of: rheumatologists, pharmacists, occupational therapists, physical therapists, kinesiologists, a social worker and a registered dietician. With a physician referral, patients attend seven weekly comprehensive classes, run in an interactive and didactic format. Each session has an exercise component associated with it as well. The goal of the program is to empower FM patients with knowledge and skills to self manage the condition through goal setting and change management. In the FM program, patients are asked to complete the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) questionnaire on the first day and last day of the FM education program. This is a simple questionnaire designed to identify the possibility of anxiety and depression in patients involved in hospital clinics outside of the mental health department. The goal of this study is to evaluate the effect of a fibromyalgia education program on patient well being by looking at patients' change in HADS scores.