Evaluation of an Online Fatigue Self-management Group Intervention for Adults with Chronic Neurological Conditions

Self-management interventions assist people with chronic conditions to manage their symptoms and retain a higher level of quality of life and activity participation. New ways to deliver self-management interventions are needed to overcome existing barriers, particularly for those who have difficulty accessing services due to geographical location, ethnicity, physical problems, limited literacy level, or who lack the confidence to be partners in their own care. Also, despite the fact that a growing population are living with neurological conditions in community, there are few studies focusing on self-management for neurological conditions. Online interventions have been shown to be successful in transferring information to individuals with chronic conditions; therefore online self-management interventions may be a reasonable way to bridge the gap between needs of individuals with chronic conditions and traditional health services. However, the role of the Internet in self-management of chronic conditions has received little attention in the literature. Based on Australian information, there is strong evidence that individuals have the ability to access the Internet. This study, then, will employ a Randomized Clinical Trial to evaluate the effectiveness of an online fatigue self-management group intervention and compare it with an online support group and a control group in a sample of adults with chronic neurological conditions.