Abstract / Summary
Abstract Background Endometriosis is a chronic condition associated with physical and emotional challenges over time. Although hormonal and surgical treatments are important for symptom management, they do not fully address the informational, emotional, and self-management needs of many women. This study evaluated the short- and long-term effects of a nurse-led Online Health Education Programme for Women with Endometriosis (e-HEPE) on patient empowerment, pain catastrophizing, and perceived health improvement. Methods A longitudinal, quasi-experimental, single-group pre-post design study with 12-month follow-up was conducted among women aged 18–45 years with a confirmed diagnosis of endometriosis recruited from a tertiary referral unit. The intervention consisted of a nurse-led online educational programme comprising four weekly sessions addressing disease-related education, emotional regulation, and pain management. Empowerment was assessed using the Spanish-validated Patient Empowerment in Long-Term Conditions Scale (CEPEC-47), pain catastrophizing using the Pain Catastrophizing Scale (PCS), and perceived health improvement using the Patient Global Impression of Improvement (PGI-I) scale. Outcomes were measured at baseline, 1 month, and 12 months after e-HEPE completion. Results Of 71 women enrolled, 51 completed baseline and 1-month assessments, and 46 completed the 12-month follow-up. Empowerment scores increased significantly from baseline to 1-month follow-up and remained stable at 12 months. Pain catastrophizing decreased significantly, from a mean score above the clinical threshold at baseline to below threshold at 1 month, with continued reduction at 12 months. The earliest improvements were observed in the rumination subscale. Participant satisfaction was high: 96.1% reported that the e-HEPE had positively contributed to their health, and 90.2% would recommend it to other women with endometriosis at 1 month, rising to 95.7% at 12 months. Conclusions This nurse-led e-HEPE was associated with sustained improvements in empowerment and reductions in pain catastrophizing among women with endometriosis over a 12-month period, alongside high patient satisfaction and acceptability. These findings support the potential contribution of Advanced Practice Nurses in delivering empowerment-focused, patient-centered interventions for this population, although confirmation in controlled studies is warranted.