Difficulties in performing leisure activities among persons with newly diagnosed rheumatoid arthritis : a prospective, controlled study

• Published in: Rheumatology (Oxford, England) Vol. 45; no. 9; pp. 1162 - 1166
• Main Authors: WIKSTRÖM, I, BOOK, C, JACOBSSON, L. T. H
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford Oxford University Press 01.09.2006; Oxford Publishing Limited (England)
• Subjects: Activities of Daily Living; Arthritis, Rheumatoid - physiopathology; Arthritis, Rheumatoid - psychology; Biological and medical sciences; Case-Control Studies; Clinical Medicine; controlled; Cost of Illness; Disability Evaluation; Diseases of the osteoarticular system; educational level; Educational Status; Female; Humans; Inflammatory joint diseases; Klinisk medicin; Leisure Activities; Linear Models; longitudinal; Male; Medical and Health Sciences; Medical sciences; Medicin och hälsovetenskap; Middle Aged; newly diagnosed RA; Personality; Prospective Studies; Reumatologi och inflammation; Rheumatology and Autoimmunity; Immunopathology; Longitudinal; Educational level; Diseases of the osteoarticular system; Rheumatology; Autoimmune disease; Inflammatory joint disease; Chronic; Leisure; Newly diagnosed RA; Rheumatoid arthritis; Controlled; Leisure activities
• ISSN: 1462-0324; 1462-0332; 1462-0332
• DOI: 10.1093/rheumatology/kel080

To compare leisure activities and associated factors in a group with recent onset RA and matched community derived controls, to examine whether leisure activities are altered during the early years of disease and to seek predictors. One hundred and forty-seven consecutive persons with early RA were followed for 0.9-5.9 yr. One hundred and forty-four RA patients were compared cross-sectionally at baseline with community-derived controls matched for age, gender and residential area. Leisure activities were evaluated with an interest checklist (20 domains). Socio-demographic variables, disease activity (DAS) and disability (HAQ) were evaluated as possible predictors for loss of participation in leisure activities at baseline and longitudinally (using area under the curve analyses). At baseline (mean disease duration 7 months) RA patients performed less (8.2 vs 9.9 domains, P < 0.001) but did not have significantly less interest (10.9 vs 11.4 domains, P = 0.15) in leisure activities compared with controls. Decrease in performed leisure activities was only significant in those with a low level of education. At baseline, in RA patients, low education (P = 0.035), age (P = 0.019) and HAQ (P < 0.001) significantly predicted performed leisure activity. No loss in performed leisure activities was seen during follow-up and no significant predictors were found for individual change. Loss of performed leisure activities occurs early in RA and chiefly in those with low formal education. Disability was associated with early loss, but not with change during follow-up. Other factors, possibly related to individual personality and resources, may be more important for predicting changes in leisure activities.