Predictors of disability in Taiwanese patients with rheumatoid arthritis

Aim. The purpose of this study was to explore predictors of disability in patients with rheumatoid arthritis in Taiwan. Background. Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic inflammatory disease affecting mainly the joints. However, little information is currently available on the disability of Asian patients with rheumatoid arthritis. Design. Cross‐sectional survey. Method. Patients (150) were recruited by convenience sampling from those regularly visiting rheumatologic outpatient clinics at three teaching hospitals and a medical centre in northern Taiwan. Data were collected on demographic and disease‐related characteristics, depressive tendency, pain and disability using a basic patient‐information form, the Center for Epidemiological Survey Depression Scale, Chinese version of the Brief Pain Inventory‐short form and the Chinese version of the Health Assessment Questionnaire, respectively. Results. Our sample had moderate pain severity (Mean = 4·32, SD 1·68) and pain disturbance (Mean = 3·49, SD 2·15). The mean disability score was 0·61 (SD 0·66), representing mild disability. Regression analysis revealed that patients’ disability was significantly predicted by disease stage (stage IV, III, or II), depressive tendency, duration of disease and education level (primary school), explaining 79·2% of the total variance in disability. Conclusion. The results of this study not only provide clinicians with predictive information of disability from rheumatoid arthritis, but also help them take suitable action on patients’ depressive status according to their disability condition. Relevance to clinical practice. The controllable predictor of disability in this study was depressive tendency. Thus, the authors recommend that clinicians regularly screen patients with rheumatoid arthritis for depressive tendency and teach self‐care methods to minimise depressive symptoms.