Daily activities in women with rheumatoid arthritis: Aspects of patient education, assistive devices and methods for disability and impairment assessment

Abstract

The major aims of the papers were to identify the difficulties in activities of daily living (ADL) of women with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and to demonstrate the effect of interventions. Methods were developed for measuring grip force, the Grippit® instrument and assessing ADL without and with assistive devices. Effects of interventions were explored, and the need for new solutions concerning daily activities was identified. Seventy-three women with RA participated in the study, 14 women with fibromyalgia were included for comparison and 187 healthy women and 65 healthy men acted as a reference group. In describing the consequences of the disease with regard to ADL, the patient's perspective was taken into account. © 1996 Informa UK Ltd All rights reserved.