Coping Strategies, Psychological Impact, and Support Preferences of Men With Rheumatoid Arthritis: A Multicenter...

Area of Science:

• Rheumatology
• Psychology
• Health Services Research

Background:

• Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) significantly impacts men's lives, with varying psychosocial effects.
• Previous Q-methodology identified two distinct typologies in men with RA.
• Understanding these typologies is crucial for targeted support.

Purpose of the Study:

• To validate two identified RA patient typologies in a larger male cohort.
• To examine psychosocial differences between these typologies.
• To compare support preferences between men and women with RA.

Main Methods:

• A postal survey was distributed to 620 men with RA across six English rheumatology units.
• Support preferences were also collected from 232 women with RA.
• 280 male responses were analyzed, categorizing participants into factor A (accept and adapt), factor B (struggling to match up), or unassigned.

Main Results:

• Factor B (struggling to match up) reported significantly more severe disease, less effective coping, and poorer psychological status compared to factor A.
• Men's support preferences included Q&A sessions with consultants/nurses, information websites, researcher talks, and symptom management sessions.
• Women showed greater interest in support sessions overall compared to men.

Conclusions:

• A significant portion of men with RA (43%) struggle to adapt, exhibiting severe disease and psychological distress.
• Men with RA prefer practical support options emphasizing knowledge acquisition.
• Findings highlight the need for tailored support strategies for different RA patient typologies.