title: [Health-related quality of life in Korean patients with rheumatoid arthritis: association with pain, disease activity, disability in activities of daily living and depression].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this predictive study was to identify factors affecting health related quality of life (HRQoL) in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA).
  
  
  METHODS
  The participants in this study were 131 patients with RA who were recruited from the outpatient clinic of a university hospital in Seoul. Disease activity in rheumatoid arthritis was evaluated by calculating the Disease Activity Score 28. Disability in activities of daily living (ADL) was assessed with the Korean Health Assessment Questionnaire, and depression with The Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale. HRQoL was evaluated using The Short Form 36 Health Survey. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, correlation, and hierarchical multiple regression.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Pain, disability in ADL, disease activity, and depression correlated negatively with physical and mental dimensions of HRQoL. But hierachical multiple regression analysis revealed that disability in ADL and depression were the only variables negatively influencing physical and mental QoL after adjustment for influences of sociodemographic variables.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Results of this study suggest that disability in ADL and depression, rather than disease activity and pain have profound effects on HRQoL in patients with RA. Further studies are needed to assess the predictive ability of disease activity and pain on HRQoL in this population.
authors.affiliation: Department of Emergency Medical Technician, Daejeon University, Daejeon, South Korea.
authors.forename: Dong Choon
authors.initials: DC
authors.lastname: Uhm
authors.forename: Eun Sook
authors.initials: ES
authors.lastname: Nam
authors.forename: Ho Yeon
authors.initials: HY
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Eun Bong
authors.initials: EB
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Young Im
authors.initials: YI
authors.lastname: Yoon
authors.forename: Gong Ju
authors.initials: GJ
authors.lastname: Chai
mesh_terms: D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000473:pathology / Q000523:psychology*; D003863:Depression; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006785:Hospitals, University; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010146:Pain; D011788:Quality of Life; D056910:Republic of Korea; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires