title: Physical activity, physical fitness, and general health perception among individuals with rheumatoid arthritis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To describe self-reported physical activity and physical fitness and to identify correlates of physical activity and general health perception.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data on self-reported physical activity, physical fitness, activity performance, and disease activity were collected from a sample of 298 patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Forty-seven percent of our sample reported physical activity behaviors that did not comply with public health recommendations. A majority of the patients had decreased lower-limb muscle function (72%), grip force (94%), joint motion (94%), and functional balance (68%). Correlations between self-reported physical activity and other variables were r(s) = 0.25 or less. Variation in general health perception was explained (total adjusted R(2) = 0.65) by pain and activity performance.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our findings indicate that there is a case for recommendations on and support for healthy physical activity behaviors among people with RA.
authors.affiliation: Skellefteå Hospital, Skellefteå, Sweden.
authors.forename: Eva
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Eurenius
authors.forename: Christina H
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Stenström
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology*; D001294:Attitude to Health; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D015444:Exercise; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009043:Motor Activity; D010809:Physical Fitness; D012307:Risk Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires