A patient-administered questionnaire for arthritis assessment

Area of Science:

• Rheumatology
• Health Informatics
• Patient-Reported Outcomes

Background:

• Chronic arthritis necessitates ongoing monitoring of patient function and quality of life.
• Physician assessments can be time-consuming and may not fully capture the patient's daily experience.
• Standardized data collection is crucial for evaluating treatment efficacy in rheumatic diseases.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the reliability and utility of a patient-administered arthritis record system.
• To compare patient-reported functional activities with physician assessments.
• To assess the system's value in tracking therapeutic interventions and quality of life.

Main Methods:

• A patient-administered arthritis record system, including the American Rheumatism Association's Uniform Data Base for Rheumatic Diseases, was utilized.
• Thirty patients with chronic arthritic conditions completed self-administered questionnaires.
• Patient responses were compared to physician interview data and documented medical records.

Main Results:

• The self-administered inventory of functional activities proved reliable and useful for documenting patient achievements.
• Questionnaires effectively aided in evaluating therapeutic interventions and measuring patient-perceived clinical outcomes.
• The system demonstrated significant physician time savings while acquiring accurate, repetitive, time-oriented information.

Conclusions:

• Patient-administered record systems are effective for documenting functional status and quality of life in arthritis patients.
• These systems offer a reliable method for assessing treatment outcomes and improving functional assessment, particularly for surgical therapy.
• The integration of patient-reported outcomes enhances clinical evaluation and conserves physician resources.