SAN FRANCISCO, California—Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients may not be as well-versed on drug treatments as their health care providers think they are, according to a new study presented at the American College of Rheumatology (ACR) Annual Scientific Meeting in San Francisco, California.¹ Moreover, there are some intrinsic differences in physicians’ and nurses’ perception of who should be charged with providing such patient education. The new study was sponsored by UCB, a biopharm company based in Brussels, Belgium.

“Understanding patients’ knowledge of current RA therapies is crucial in maximizing patient care, as are the perceptions of physicians and nurses and their approach to patient education,” conclude the researchers who were led by Nicole Furfaro of Seattle Rheumatology Associates in Washington. “Further clarification of these differences may provide opportunities for improved patient education and care.”

RA patients don’t know as much as their doctors assume

In total, 2039 RA patients, 500 rheumatologists, and 101 RA nurses completed questionnaires concerning their RA, relationships with their rheumatologist/nurse, and knowledge, emotions, and attitudes related to RA. RA patients in the study had a mean age of 54 and mean disease duration of 8 years. Eighty-three percent of patients reported moderate to severe RA, and 92% of patients were taking prescription RA medication.

Overall, 87% of physicians and 90% of nurses believed their patients had a high level of knowledge of current RA treatments, but only 50% of patients rated their knowledge as being high. In addition, 91% of physicians believe they are best suited to conduct RA education, while 59% of nurses believe that they should be charged with providing patient education. Only 14% of physicians believe nurses should educate patients to monitor for side effects compared with 67% of nurses. In the study patients, physicians, and nurses were aligned in terms of RA treatment goals (66% vs 60% vs 65%, respectively).

“Patients clearly can benefit from more interaction and education from their care providers to help bridge the gaps in knowledge and manage expectations of RA therapy,” Furfaro said in a press release.

Pain matters

Additionally, 34% of European RA patients and 37% of RA patients in the US were either “extremely dissatisfied” or “dissatisfied” with their level of RA-related pain. Just 12% of European RA patients and 9% of RA patients in the US who were surveyed were extremely satisfied or satisfied with their pain level. Of RA patients in the US, 44% said pain relief topped the list of what they wanted from their medication and that they were satisfied with a biologic therapy if they got such relief. Most European RA patients were satisfied with their biologic drug, but pain relief was not cited as the primary reason for their satisfaction, the study showed.

“This survey indicates that, despite treatment, RA patients’ levels of arthritis pain remain high in both the European Union and the US, and effective pain management remains an extensive unmet need,” Furfaro said in a press release.

Reference

1. Furfaro N, Dewing K, Carlone J, et al. Nurse and physician differences in perception of patient knowledge and approach to education in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis. Presented at:  American College of Rheumatology 2008 Annual Scientific Meeting; October 24-29, 2008; San Francisco, Calif. Presentation 2080.