Self-efficacy and health status in rheumatoid arthritis: a two-year longitudinal observational study.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the relationship between baseline level of self-efficacy for pain and other symptoms and changes in measures for similar dimensions of health status over a period of 2 yr in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA).


METHODS
Data collected from patients with RA enrolled in a county-based disease register in Oslo, Norway were analysed: 815 patients were examined by mail questionnaire in 1994 and again in 1996. Relationships of the baseline level of self-efficacy and demographic variables with 2-yr changes in health status measures were examined by bivariate and multiple regression analysis. The following health status measures were included: pain and fatigue on a visual analogue scale; the patient's global assessment of disease activity; the symptom and affect scales of the Arthritis Impact Measurement Scales (AIMS2); and the bodily pain, mental health, general health and vitality scales of the Short Form-36 (SF-36).


RESULTS
For all health status measures, there was a significant correlation between the change over a 2-yr span and baseline self-efficacy, even after adjustment for demographic variables and for the baseline level of the health status measure. Favourable changes were associated with high self-efficacy scores.


CONCLUSIONS
In patients with RA, the baseline levels of self-efficacy for pain and other symptoms seem to influence 2-yr changes in health status measures regarding these aspects.
Brekke
M
M
Norwegian Resource Centre for Rheumatological Rehabilitation, Oslo City Department of Rheumatology, Diakonhjemmet Hospital, Oslo, Norway.
Hjortdahl
P
P
Kvien
T K
TK
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010146:Pain / Q000523:psychology