The National Care Insurance, and Quality of Life in Rheumatoid Arthritis Patients after Multiple Total Arthroplasty

Abstract

The national care insurance was introduced as a policy for aging society in 2001. Twenty-three patients with rheumatoid arthritis treated by multiple joint arthroplasties were clinically reviewed. The average age of the patients was 52.7 years at the time of initial operation. The average duration of the disease was 26.6 years. The proportion of patients who received the service of this insurance was 74%. Twenty-six percent of patients received care by their families. Sixty-seven percent of patients received care (cleaning and having a bath) by helpers. One of the problems of this insurance is that the evaluation of the impairment of upper extremities is slightly low.