Pain, coping and analgesic medication usage in rheumatoid arthritis patients

The major purposes of this study were to describe pain characteristics and coping strategies used in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients. Further purposes were to examine relationships among pain, coping and analgesic medication intake. Sixty-eight consecutively sampled subjects with RA participated in the study. The Pain-O-Meter was used to evaluate pain intensity and quality, and the Coping Strategies Questionnaire (CSQ) to determine coping strategies. The results showed that the patients with RA scored more intense sensory than affective pain although they used more affective pain descriptors. The sensory and total pain components were related to coping self-statements and increased pain activities. There were significant relationships between analgesic medication intake and all coping strategies used in the RA patients. The findings' implication for education and treatment are discussed.