Activity participation and well-being among older people with arthritis.

This study tests the hypotheses that (a) severity of arthritis is inversely associated with frequency of activity participation, and (b) arthritis sufferers who maintain higher levels of participation, particularly in activities which are social in nature, are less likely to experience a decline in well-being. Three activity types are considered: social, physical, and solitary. Results indicate that well-being is influenced by social activity, whereas solitary and physical activity have minimal impact. This suggests that elders with arthritis need not remove themselves from the pursuit of activity and should be encouraged to develop new interests when physical functioning fails. The study also demonstrates the utility of considering activity as multidimensional.