More psychological distress and tiredness is associated with lower self-efficacy in patients with arthritis

Abstract

Background: Arthritis patients’ life quality is influenced by several features; e.g. disease-activity, coping and depression, while self-efficacy have shown to prevent development of psychological problems in this group of patients. Methods: This study was cross-sectional, aiming to explore associations between arthritis patients’ self-efficacy and other factors (disease-related and psychological) by performing secondary analyses on data from a randomized controlled study (RCT) on arthritis patient education (PE). Data was collected 12 months after inclusion in the RCT, and comprised information from valid and reliable questionnaires reflecting self-efficacy, psychological distress, disease-characteristics and coping (patient activation). A multivariable linear regression analysis was performed with self-efficacy as dependent variable. Findings: The sample consisted of 71% women, 62 % with rheumatoid arthritis, and a mean age of 58 years. The findings show that more psychological distress (p=.001) and tiredness (p=.014) are associated with lower self-efficacy, while being women (p=.034) and better coping skills (p=.000) were associated with higher self-efficacy. Discussion: A holistic approach is necessary to support arthritis patients with their daily management of disease symptoms and implications of having arthritis.