title: Rheumatoid arthritis impact survey.
abstract: A survey was undertaken to determine the effects of rheumatoid arthritis on the daily lives of patients. A randomly selected group of 135 Indians and blacks with rheumatoid arthritis were interviewed. Only 24% were employed and 35% were dependent on financial support from the state. Twenty-two per cent did not know the name of their illness and 89% expressed a desire to learn more about it. The most important problems encountered were pain (96%), stiffness (80%) and financial (58%). Activities such as toilet after-care, combing hair, bathing and dressing presented problems for a significant proportion of patients. The majority (73%) reported improvement on therapy. The survey showed that in rheumatoid arthritis, there is a great need for education and counselling of patients, there is a high unemployment rate and there is also a need for total patient care by a team of health professionals.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, University of Natal, Durban.
authors.forename: G M
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Mody
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Shaw
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ramchurren
mesh_terms: D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000328:Adult; D001741:Black or African American; D000368:Aged; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000503:physiopathology*; D044383:Black People; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007194:India / Q000208:ethnology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013019:South Africa