Psychosocial predictors of health status in fibromyalgia: a comparative study with rheumatoid arthritis

Abstract

Objective was to compare perceived health status as measured by the MOS 36-item Short Form Health Survey (SF-36) in fibromyalgia (FM) and rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients; and, to identify psychosocial predictors of perceived physical and mental health status in both groups. Study group: 120 female patients who met the American College of Rheumatology (ACR) criteria for the classification of FM (n = 68) or RA (n = 52) were recruited. Methods: Patients completed a set of questionnaires assessing perceived physical and mental health status (SF-36v.2), emotional distress (BSI), active and passive coping strategies with chronic pain (PCI) and, negative and positive affect (PANAS). Results: FM patients reported greater impairment along physical and mental dimensions. Standard multiple regression analyses revealed that a model including emotional distress, passive coping, and negative affect was able to explain 23% of the variance in physical health status of FM patients (p < .001) and 24% in RA patients (p < .05). Passive coping made the largest unique contribution in FM patients (ß = - .29, p < .05) and positive affect in RA patients (ß = .28, p < .05). A model including emotional distress, passive coping, negative affect, and positive affect explained 44% of the variance in mental health status of FM patients (p < .001) and 68% in RA patients (p < .001). Emotional distress made the largest unique contribution both in FM (ß = - .60, p < .001) and RA patients (ß = - .52, p < .001). Conclusions: Our findings support the adoption of a biopsychosocial model for understanding the determinants of perceived physical and mental health status in both groups of patients. (c) 2009 Nova Science Publishers, Inc.