AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: To assess the relationship between self-care agency scores, disability levels and factors regarding these situations among Turkish patients with rheumatoid arthritis. BACKGROUND: Rheumatoid arthritis is characterised by severe to slight synovial joint inflammation that can lead to pain, stiffness and joint destruction with subsequent physical deformities, disabilities and reduced self-care. Self-care is an important component of comprehensive chronic disease management such as rheumatoid arthritis. If patients have high levels of self-care and adhere to rheumatoid arthritis treatment, it can be expected that they will have fewer symptoms and better functional capabilities. DESIGN: A cross-sectional, design was used. METHOD: This study was conducted with 467 rheumatoid arthritis patients who applied at the Rheumatology Outpatient Department of Gaziantep University between September 2008-February 2009. The data collection instruments used in this study were the Demographic Data Form, Health Assessment Questionnaire (including disability index and pain scale) and Self-as-Carer Inventory. The frequency, mean, Student's t-test, one-way anova, Kruskal-Wallis, chi-square, correlation and regression analysis were used; p < 0·05 was accepted as statistically significant. RESULTS: For patients the self-care agency classification of 13·7% and 86·3% were 'moderate' and 'poor', respectively; while the disability levels of 12·2 51·2 and 36·6% were 'mild', 'moderate' and 'severe', respectively; and their pain average was 'moderate'. It was also determined that, as the patients' self-agency scores declined, their disability levels deteriorated even further and their pain levels increased even more. CONCLUSIONS: In conclusion we found that in Turkish patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis, the higher disability and pain rate were, the lower self-care agency score was. RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE: Nurses should strive to provide individuals with RA the knowledge, skills and resources necessary for active participation in self-care, as this might promote the capacity for self-care.
AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: To assess the relationship between self-care agency scores, disability levels and factors regarding these situations among Turkish patients with rheumatoid arthritis. BACKGROUND:Rheumatoid arthritis is characterised by severe to slight synovial joint inflammation that can lead to pain, stiffness and joint destruction with subsequent physical deformities, disabilities and reduced self-care. Self-care is an important component of comprehensive chronic disease management such as rheumatoid arthritis. If patients have high levels of self-care and adhere to rheumatoid arthritis treatment, it can be expected that they will have fewer symptoms and better functional capabilities. DESIGN: A cross-sectional, design was used. METHOD: This study was conducted with 467 rheumatoid arthritispatients who applied at the Rheumatology Outpatient Department of Gaziantep University between September 2008-February 2009. The data collection instruments used in this study were the Demographic Data Form, Health Assessment Questionnaire (including disability index and pain scale) and Self-as-Carer Inventory. The frequency, mean, Student's t-test, one-way anova, Kruskal-Wallis, chi-square, correlation and regression analysis were used; p < 0·05 was accepted as statistically significant. RESULTS: For patients the self-care agency classification of 13·7% and 86·3% were 'moderate' and 'poor', respectively; while the disability levels of 12·2 51·2 and 36·6% were 'mild', 'moderate' and 'severe', respectively; and their pain average was 'moderate'. It was also determined that, as the patients' self-agency scores declined, their disability levels deteriorated even further and their pain levels increased even more. CONCLUSIONS: In conclusion we found that in Turkish patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis, the higher disability and pain rate were, the lower self-care agency score was. RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE: Nurses should strive to provide individuals with RA the knowledge, skills and resources necessary for active participation in self-care, as this might promote the capacity for self-care.