Comparison of knowledge and psychological well-being between patients witha short disease duration (<= 1 year) and patients with more established rheumatoid arthritis (>= 10 years duration)

Patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) of short disease duration (i.e. les s than or equal to 1 year) were compared with patients of longer disease du ration (i.e. greater than or equal to 10 years) in terms of RA knowledge, s ymptoms of anxiety, symptoms of depression and disease acceptance. In addit ion, the predictors of psychological distress (i.e. symptoms of anxiety and depression) were examined. Data were collected by self-administered questi onnaires. As expected, patients with more established disease were signific antly older and had more physical dysfunction. However, there were no stati stically significant differences on anxiety, depression, acceptance of illn ess, pain or knowledge about RA. The need for education regarding RA and it s implications was expressed by all participants regardless of disease dura tion. Illness acceptance beliefs were identified as significant predictors of both anxiety and depression. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.