Background: Fibromyalgia affects approximately 2–3% of the population and is associated with widespread pain, fatigue, sleep disturbance, cognitive difficulties, and markedly reduced quality of life. Despite its high prevalence and substantial impact on work participation and social inclusion, access to structured, evidence-based patient education remains limited. In Norway, responsibility for fibromyalgia care has recently shifted from specialist to primary care, further reducing access to specialised support and contributing to fragmented follow-up. Many people with fibromyalgia report low health literacy related to their condition and limited opportunities to participate in traditional, in-person self-management programmes due to symptom burden, stigma, or practical barriers. There is a clear need for accessible, patient-centred educational interventions that provide reliable information, promote self-management, and support participation in everyday life.

Objectives: The objective of this project was to develop and pilot an accessible, expert-led digital e-learning programme for people living with fibromyalgia. The programme aimed to improve health literacy and understanding of fibromyalgia, strengthen self-management skills related to pain, fatigue, sleep, and stress, and provide practical tools to support participation in everyday life, including work and social activities. A further objective was to co-create the programme with patient research partners and national clinical experts to ensure relevance, usability, and credibility, and to offer a scalable educational model that can complement and help relieve pressure on healthcare services.

Methods: The project applies a co-creation and user-centred design approach to develop a modular, digital e-learning programme on fibromyalgia. Patient experts with lived experience of fibromyalgia are involved throughout all stages of development, including needs assessment, content planning, and iterative testing, to ensure accessibility and relevance for users with high symptom burden. The programme is being developed in close collaboration with leading national clinical experts on fibromyalgia, who are not routinely accessible to patients for individual consultations. These experts contribute evidence-based content and explain current research and clinical recommendations in clear, lay person language. Short video-based modules with specialists in pain, fatigue, sleep are complemented by practical guidance from psychologists, social workers, and physical therapists with experience in fibromyalgia care. In addition, trained peer supporters living with fibromyalgia will be integrated into the course to provide guidance, encouragement, and lived-experience perspectives. Peer supporters will serve as role models for sustainable lifestyle adaptations and self-management strategies, and facilitate optional digital or in-person group interactions aimed at reducing isolation and supporting behaviour change. The course is structured as a flexible, self-paced learning pathway with a modular design, offering introductory videos followed by optional in-depth content selected by the participant according to individual needs and priorities. Filming and editing of the e-learning programme is ongoing during the winter 2025-2026, and a pilot phase with user testing and evaluation of usability, perceived relevance, and completion rates is planned as the next step in May 2026.

Results: The e-learning programme is expected to improve participants’ understanding of fibromyalgia and increase confidence in managing symptoms such as pain, fatigue, and sleep disturbances. By providing accessible, expert-led education in plain language, the programme aims to strengthen health literacy and support informed self-management decisions. The flexible, self-paced format is anticipated to enable participation among individuals who are unable to attend traditional in-person courses due to symptom burden or practical barriers. Engagement with patient experts throughout development is expected to enhance usability, relevance, and acceptability of the programme. Planned evaluation will assess course completion rates and user-reported perceptions of usefulness, understanding, and self-management capacity. The digital format is anticipated to allow broad national reach and offer a scalable educational model that can complement existing healthcare services. By integrating peer support and optional group interactions, the programme may also encourage continued engagement in local patient communities, including participation in physical group activities and training offered through local branches of the Norwegian Rheumatism Association.

Conclusions: This project demonstrates the development of a patient-centred, expert-led digital education model for fibromyalgia that addresses unmet needs in access to reliable information and self-management support. By combining co-creation with patient experts, plain-language communication of current research, and a flexible modular design, the e-learning programme has the potential to improve health literacy and quality of life among people living with fibromyalgia. If successful, this approach may complement existing healthcare services and offer a scalable framework for patient education in other chronic rheumatic and musculoskeletal conditions.

REFERENCES: [1] Wigers SH, Veierød MB, Mengshoel AM, Forseth KØ, Dahli MP, Juel NG, Natvig B. Healthcare experiences of fibromyalgia patients and their associations with satisfaction and pain relief: A patient survey. Scandinavian Journal of Pain. 2024;24(1).

[2] Mohabbat, A. B., Salonen, B. R., Davis, X. D., Volcheck, M. M., Luedtke, C. A., Natividad, L. T., Peña Guzman, T. D., Johnson, S. M., Ledvina, A. J., Merza, C. T. L., & Wight, E. C. (2024). In-Person or Virtual Educational Preferences in Patients With Fibromyalgia: A Cross-Sectional Survey Study at an Academic Medical Center . Pain Management Nursing, 25 (4), 389–394.

Acknowledgments: NIL.

Disclosure of Interests: None declared.