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Patients' Experiences of Nurse-Led Screening for Cardiovascular Risk in Rheumatoid Arthritis
Jannie Christina Frølund1, Jette Primdahl2
1Department of Medicine, Vejle Hospital, Vejle, Denmark.
Insights
Patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) undergoing cardiovascular disease (CVD) screening value personalized consultations. Tailoring screening to individual needs and RA management is crucial for effective programs.
Area of Science:
- Rheumatology
- Cardiology
- Public Health
Background:
- Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients face elevated cardiovascular disease (CVD) risks.
- European League Against Rheumatism (EULAR) guidelines recommend CVD risk screening for RA patients.
- Limited data exists on RA patient experiences with CVD screening programs.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore rheumatoid arthritis patients' experiences with nurse-led cardiovascular disease screening.
- To identify key factors for organizing and improving future CVD screening programs for RA patients.
Main Methods:
- Qualitative study involving three focus groups with 14 RA outpatients.
- Participants stratified by 10-year cardiovascular death risk (low-to-moderate vs. high) using the SCORE system.
- Data analyzed using meaning condensation to identify key themes.
Main Results:
- Five themes emerged: invitation reactions, consultation adaptation to RA needs, duration appropriateness, relief from screening, and motivation/control.
- Participants emphasized the importance of screening consultations tailored to their individual needs and the impact of RA on daily life.
- Adaptation was valued regardless of the patient's cardiovascular risk level.
Conclusions:
- Future cardiovascular disease screening programs for rheumatoid arthritis patients must be individualized.
- Screening consultations should be tailored to patients' specific needs and rheumatoid arthritis condition.
- Personalized screening enhances patient experience and program effectiveness.
Background:
Patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) have increased morbidity and mortality due to cardiovascular disease (CVD). Screening for cardiovascular risk is recommended by the European League Against Rheumatism (EULAR). There is a lack of evidence of the experiences of RA patients who are screened for CVD. Such information is important in order to organize and further develop screening programmes for CVD in patients with RA. The aim of the present study was to explore RA patients' experiences of participation in nurse-led screening for CVD and to identify key issues for the future organization of screening programmes.
Methods:
Three qualitative focus group interviews were carried out with 14 outpatients diagnosed with RA. The participants were stratified into groups, depending on whether they had a low-to-moderate or high ten-year risk of cardiovascular death according to the European Systematic Coronary Risk Evaluation (SCORE) system. Data were analysed using meaning condensation to identify key themes.
Results:
Five themes were identified: reactions to receiving the invitation to the screening consultation; screening consultation adapted to needs and RA; duration reflected needs; screening consultation brought a sense of relief; and motivation and sense of control. Regardless of their CV risk, the participants found it important that the screening consultation was adapted to their needs and their illness as RA had a major impact on their daily life.
Conclusions:
When planning future screening programmes for CVD for patients with RA, it is important that the screening consultation is individualized and tailored to patients' needs and their RA. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
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