title: Social, economic, psychologic, and sexual outcomes in rheumatoid arthritis.
abstract: Rheumatoid arthritis takes an economic toll in a variety of ways--the actual costs of treatment for the individual patient and society are only a fraction thereof. Other costs derive from the legal definition of disability, from a lack of employment opportunities, from premature retirement from work, and from the social and familial consequences of these events. Depression is a major feature of chronic disease and colors both behavior by the patient and the doctor-patient relationship. Self-image suffers in this potentially deforming disease, with consequences in sexual and social behavior. Ignorance and a confusion between disability and handicap lead to more disablement than do the physical changes of rheumatoid arthritis.
mesh_terms: D001107:Architectural Accessibility; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000191:economics / Q000523:psychology; D001828:Body Image; D003365:Costs and Cost Analysis; D004185:Disability Evaluation; D004651:Employment; D006801:Humans; D010551:Personality; D011379:Prognosis; D011788:Quality of Life; D012725:Sexual Behavior; D012919:Social Behavior