[Functional outcome in rheumatoid arthritis patients]

Area of Science:

• Rheumatology
• Health Assessment Tools
• Disability Measurement

Context:

• Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) poses significant disability challenges.
• Accurate disability assessment is crucial for RA patient management.
• The Stanford Health Assessment Questionnaire (HAQ) is a widely used tool.

Purpose:

• To validate and adapt the Stanford Health Assessment Questionnaire (HAQ) for the Croatian population with rheumatoid arthritis (RA).
• To evaluate the HAQ's usability, scoring simplicity, and time efficiency in a clinical setting.
• To identify and address potential terminology and scoring ambiguities within the HAQ.

Summary:

• The study involved 101 Croatian patients with RA, assessing disability using the HAQ.
• Patients completed the HAQ, with some receiving prior instructions and others interviewed by a rheumatologist.
• Results indicated the HAQ is user-friendly, easy to score, and time-efficient, though minor modifications improved clarity, particularly for scores 1 and 2.

Impact:

• The adapted HAQ is suitable for assessing RA disability in Croatia, requiring minimal terminology changes.
• The study highlights the HAQ's potential for routine clinical use in RA patient monitoring.
• Proposed modifications enhance the HAQ's precision in capturing patient-reported functional status.