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Possession of Assistive Devices Is Related to Improved Psychological Well-Being in Patients with Rheumatic Conditions
MARTINE VEEHOF, ERIK TAAL, JOHANNES RASKER, JOHANNES LOHMANN, and MART van de LAAR ABSTRACT. Objective. To investigate the relationship between the possession of assistive devices and psychological well-being in patients with rheumatic conditions. Methods. Patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and psoriatic arthritis (PsA) were selected from rheumatology outpatient clinics in 2 adjacent regions in The Netherlands and Germany. A total of 142 patients completed a questionnaire on the possession of assistive devices and psychological well-being. Questions on sociodemographics, clinical status, and health status were included. Hierarchical multiple linear regression analysis was used to determine the unique association between the number of assistive devices per patient and psychological well-being, controlling for confounding variables. Results. Univariately, the number of assistive devices per patient was negatively associated with psychological well-being. Multivariately, the number of assistive devices per patient was positively associated with psychological well-being. Functional status was a negative confounder of the relationship between the possession of assistive devices and psychological well-being. Conclusion. The possession of assistive devices was positively related to psychological well-being of patients with rheumatic diseases, after controlling for differences in functional status. (J Rheumatol 2006;33:1679–83) Key Indexing Terms:
ASSISTIVE DEVICES From the Institute for Behavioral Research, Faculty of Behavioral Sciences, University of Twente; Department of Rheumatology, Medisch Spectrum Twente, Enschede, The Netherlands; and Department of Rheumatology, Fachklinik Bad Bentheim, Bad Bentheim, Germany. An Interreg II project funded by the European Union. M.M. Veehof, MSc, OT; E. Taal, PhD; J.J. Rasker, MD, PhD, Professor, University of Twente; J. Lohmann, MD, Fachklinik Bad Bentheim; M.A.F.J. van de Laar, MD, PhD, Professor, University of Twente and Medisch Spectrum Twente. Address reprint requests to M.M. Veehof, Institute for Behavioral Research, Faculty of Behavioral Sciences, University of Twente, PO Box 217, 7500 AE Enschede, The Netherlands. E-mail: m.m.veehof@utwente.nl Accepted for publication March 31, 2006.
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