title: Depressive and anxiety symptoms and social support are independently associated with disease-specific quality of life in Colombian patients with rheumatoid arthritis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To examine the relationship between disease-specific Quality of Life (QOL) and socio-demographic, medical, and psychosocial factors in Colombian patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA).
  
  
  METHODS
  One hundred and three RA patients recruited from ambulatory centers in Neiva, Colombia were administered the Disease Activity Scale 28 (DAS-28), QOL-RA, Zung Self-Rating Depression Scale, State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI), Interpersonal Support Evaluation List-12 (ISEL-12), and Symptom Checklist-90 Revised (SCL-90R).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Lower QOL-RA was associated with lower socio-economic status (SES; r=0.26, p<0.01), higher likelihood of using opioids (t=-2.51, p<0.05), higher likelihood of comorbid pulmonary disease (t=-2.22, p<0.05), and lower ISEL-12 sub-scales (r's=0.41-0.31, p's<0.001). Lower QOL-RA was associated with higher DAS-28 (r=-0.28, p<0.01), Visual Analog Scale (VAS; r=-0.35, p<0.001), Zung Depression (r=-0.72, p <0.001), STAI-State (r=-0.66, p<0.001), STAI-Trait (r=-0.70, p<0.001), SCL-90R Global Severity Index (r=-0.50, p<0.001), SCL-90R Positive Symptom Total (r=-0.57, p<0.001), and all SCL-90R sub-scales (r's=-0.54--0.21, p's<0.01). A multivariate linear regression model indicated that SES (B=2.77, p<0.05), Zung Depression (B=-0.53, p<0.001), STAI-State (B=-0.26, p<0.05), and ISEL-12 Belonging (B=1.15, p<0.01) were independently associated with QOL-RA, controlling for significant associations.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  More depressive and anxiety symptoms were independently associated with lower disease-specific QOL, while higher perceptions of having people to do activities with (belonging social support) and higher SES were independently associated with higher disease-specific QOL. Psychosocial factors impact QOL in RA above and beyond disease activity. Additional research into the benefits of psychosocial assessment of RA patients and provision of comprehensive care to improve QOL is warranted.
authors: Departamento de Métodos e Psicologia Experimental, Universidade de Deusto, Bilbao, Espanha. Electronic address: hrogers@deusto.es.
authors: Heather L
authors: HL
authors: Rogers
authors: Departamento de Métodos e Psicologia Experimental, Universidade de Deusto, Bilbao, Espanha.
authors: Hardin T
authors: HT
authors: Brotherton
authors: Grupo de Pesquisa Carlos Finlay da Faculdade de Saúde, Universidade Sul Colombiana, Neiva, Colômbia.
authors: Silvia Leonor
authors: SL
authors: Olivera Plaza
authors: Grupo de Pesquisa Carlos Finlay da Faculdade de Saúde, Universidade Sul Colombiana, Neiva, Colômbia.
authors: María Angélica
authors: MA
authors: Segura Durán
authors: Clínica Saludcoop Neiva, Neiva, Colômbia.
authors: Marvín Leonel
authors: ML
authors: Peña Altamar
mesh_terms: D001007:Anxiety / Q000209:etiology* / Q000628:therapy; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000150:complications* / Q000523:psychology; D003105:Colombia; D003863:Depression / Q000209:etiology* / Q000628:therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011788:Quality of Life; D012944:Social Support
keywords: Ansiedade; Anxiety; Apoio social; Artrite reumatoide; Depression; Depressão; Qualidade de vida; Quality of life; Rheumatoid arthritis; Social support