DIFFERENCES IN ILLNESS INTRUSIVENESS ACROSS RHEUMATOID-ARTHRITIS, END-STAGE RENAL-DISEASE, AND MULTIPLE-SCLEROSIS

Illness intrusiveness derives from illness-induced lifestyle disruptio ns that interfere with continued involvements in valued activities and interests and is hypothesized to represent a fundamental determinant of the psychosocial impact of chronic conditions. The present investig ation compared reported levels of illness intrusiveness across 305 ind ividuals from three chronically ill populations: rheumatoid arthritis (N = 110), end-stage renal disease (N = 101), and multiple sclerosis ( N = 94). Although multiple sclerosis was significantly more intrusive, overall, into lifestyles, activities, and interests as compared with rheumatoid arthritis and end-stage renal disease (which did not differ ), a significant illness group X life domain interaction indicated tha t intrusiveness into eight individual life domains differed significan tly across the groups and that the pattern of differences varied as a function of the particular life domain involved. Differences in the co nstellations of signs, symptoms, and treatment regimens associated wit h a given condition were hypothesized to account for observed differen ces in illness intrusiveness.