Results of a research study evaluating WebEase, an online epilepsy self-management program

Abstract

WebEase (Epilepsy Awareness, Support, and Education) is an online epilepsy self-management program to assist people with taking medication, managing stress, and improving sleep quality. The primary study aims were to determine if those who participated in WebEase demonstrated improvements in medication adherence, perceived stress, and sleep quality. Participants were randomized to a treatment (T) or waitlist control (WCL) group (n=148). At follow-up, participants in the T group reported higher levels of medication adherence than those in the WLC group. Analyses were also conducted comparing those who had completed WebEase modules with those who had not. Those who had completed at least some modules within the WebEase program reported higher levels of self-efficacy and a trend toward significance was observed for the group×time interactions for medication adherence, perceived stress, self-management, and knowledge. The results highlight the usefulness of online tools to support self-management among people with epilepsy.