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For
medical care providers, Rheumatoid Arthritis Distress Scale (RADS) seems to be
a beneficial tool for ascertaining rheumatoid arthritis distress.
A study published in BMC Rheumatology found disease-specific distress to be a pivotal entity experienced by rheumatoid arthritis patients. The 39-item RADS showed acceptable first phase content and face validity in individuals suffering from rheumatoid arthritis. Researchers undertook this five-phased qualitative research study to assess whether disease-specific distress is experienced by individuals with rheumatoid arthritis.
This study comprised of secondary data assessment of 61 interviews of individuals having rheumatic disease (Phase 1), substantiation of findings using a patient and public involvement group of rheumatoid arthritis people (n = 4) (Phase 2), item generation for a patient-reported outcome measure (PROM) (Phase 3) and establishment of content and face validity of the PROM via patient and public involvement group (n = 4) and individual cognitive interviews (n = 9) of people with rheumatoid arthritis respectively (Phase 4 and 5).
For people having long-term rheumatic diseases, including rheumatoid arthritis, and caretakers, the final PROM was presented. Notably, 5 themes of rheumatic disease distress arose from Phase 1, which was validated in the phase 2 patient and public involvement group. Following phases 3–5, the RADS was formed of thirty-nine items and three supplementary questions.
The
recruited subjects reported the content of RADS to be relevant and clear.
Furthermore, the disease-specific distress was noted to be a valid concept in
rheumatoid arthritis, distinct from other entities such as anxiety or clinical
depression. However, additional psychometric testing is warranted.
BMC Rheumatology
Development of the Rheumatoid Arthritis Distress Scale (RADS): a new tool to identify disease-specific distress in patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis
Linda Silke et al.
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