Skip to main content

Happy Hands

An app for digital self-management of hand osteoarthritis

Project managers
Physiotherapist | PhD

Professor Anne Therese Tveter, vice director of REMEDY


Occupational therapist | PhD

Professor Ingvild Kjeken

PhD fellow
Nurse

Kristine Aasnes Fjeldstad

ABOUT THE PROJECT

Hand osteoarthritis affects close to half of all women and a quarter of all men, and is an important cause of pain and reduced function in the hands. There is no cure, but international guidelines state that information, hand training and the use of simple support splints and other aids are effective measures to reduce pain and improve function. However, the offer for this patient group is insufficient. In order to improve the offer, researchers, clinicians and user representatives at Diakonhjemmet Hospital, in collaboration with the University's Center for Information Technology at UiO, developed an app to make available information about this recommended treatment.

The purpose of this project is to examine the effect, cost-effectiveness and experiences with using the app Happy Hands.

WHO CAN JOIN?

Patients diagnosed with hand osteoarthritis by health personnel and who seek help or have been referred to a GP or health institution that participates in the project, can take part in the study.

For an overview of which health institutions participate, contact This email address is protected from programs that collect email addresses. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .

Recruitment of participants for the study is ongoing.

WHAT DOES THE STUDY INCLUDE?

If you wish to take part in the study, you will, after giving written informed consent, be drawn into one of two groups:

  1. One group (the control group) will receive standard treatment. This treatment will contain, as a minimum, written information about hand osteoarthritis.
  2. The other group (the intervention group) will receive standard treatment and also follow a 12-week digital program through the app Happy Hands.

The program consists of films with knowledge-based information about hand osteoarthritis, treatment options, self-management of the disease and hand training.

Before starting, during and after the project, we will collect information about you through a questionnaire. If you are drawn to the control group, you will get access to the app Happy Hands after 6 months.