Mixed method approach for the assessment of effective treatment for rheumatoid arthritis based on patients' perspectives

2019 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 26460608
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Medical sociology
• Research Institution: National Center for Geriatrics and Gerontology (2019); Nagoya City University (2014-2018)
• Principal Investigator: Kojima Masayo 国立研究開発法人国立長寿医療研究センター, 老年学・社会科学研究センター, 部長 (30326136)
• Project Period (FY): 2014-04-01 – 2020-03-31
• Keywords: 関節リウマチ / 疫学調査 / フォーカスグループ / 患者 / 高齢 / フレイル

Outline of Final Research Achievements

A questionnaire survey and a focus group were conducted for patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) to examine how they perceive the "patient global assessment". As a result, many patients felt neccesity to have a more specific evaluation method, but it was suggested that it could be a meaningful index by establishing their own evaluation method while duscussing with their attending rheumatologists. Using the data from the 2016 Comprehensive Survey of Living Condition, the number of patients nationwide was estimated to be 822,000 (768,000-880,000). In addition, we investigated 375 RA patients who were visiting university hospitals, and found that RA patients were more likely to have frailty even at a working age, and were greatly involved in disease activity, physical function, and depression.

Free Research Field

疫学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究により、多くのRA患者は自分の状態を正しく理解したいと考え、主治医との対話を求めていることが分かった。RA患者は比較的若い世代から健康上の問題による日常生活動作への影響を受ける者が多く、75歳以上からは加齢による変化も顕著に見られるが、非RA患者に比べて大きくはないため、RA患者においては若い世代からの介護予防・フレイル予防対策の実施が重要であると考えられる。