Abstract
Objective: The aging of modern Japanese society has progressed rapidly, and increased life expectancies resulting from the contributions of medical science has increased the proportion of the elderly among rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients. Based on this observation, we investigated that the characteristic of quality of Life (QOL) for elderly RA patients.
Method: 59 RA patients aged sixty five and over which had not contracted dementia were included in the study. They completed Arthritis Impact Measurement Scales version 2 (AIMS2) health status questionnaires. Various fields of QOL scores were compared.
Results: The patients had high scores for “Walking and bending” and “Social activities”, but had low scores for “Support from family”. In each family structure, the scores for “Self care” and “Household tasks” were significantly higher for patients in large families than for patients living alone.
Conclusion: Elderly RA patients assessed themselves highly for “Self care” and “Household tasks” when living alone. Aged RA patients can often establish their own lifestyles, and the patient’s lifestyle, equipment for making their environment easier to live in, and rethinking of consideration for them are required especially fron their families.
