Table 2.
Differences between demographic, clinical, and psychological characteristics of adherent and nonadherent patients
| Characteristics | Adherent n=45 | Nonadherent n=77 | P-value |
|---|---|---|---|
| Age (years) mean ± SD | 55.31±13.24 | 55.14±9.69 | 0.941 |
| Sex, female, n (%) | 40 (89) | 64 (83) | 0.386 |
| Marital status, n (%) | 0.772 | ||
| Married | 40 (89) | 71 (92) | |
| Other marital status | 5 (11) | 6 (8) | |
| Education level, n (%) | 0.016* | ||
| Primary (0–6 years) | 22 (49) | 21 (27) | |
| Secondary (7–12 years) | 20 (44) | 46 (60) | |
| Higher (>12 years) | 3 (7) | 10 (13) | |
| Employment, n (%) | 0.218 | ||
| Employed | 26 (58) | 53 (69) | |
| Unemployed | 19 (42) | 24 (31) | |
| Monthly per capita income, n (%) | 0.031* | ||
| <1,000 yuan | 28 (62) | 32 (42) | |
| 1,000–2,999 yuan | 13 (29) | 33 (43) | |
| 3,000–5,000 yuan | 3 (7) | 9 (12) | |
| >5,000 yuan | 1 (2) | 3 (4) | |
| Type of medical insurance, n (%) | 0.981 | ||
| With basic medical insurance | 32 (71) | 54 (70) | |
| Self-pay | 11 (24) | 19 (25) | |
| Other | 2 (4) | 4 (5) | |
| Hospitalization, yes, n (%) | 36 (80) | 63 (82) | 0.804 |
| Tobacco use, yes, n (%) | 3 (7) | 6 (8) | 1.000 |
| Alcohol use, yes, n (%) | 6 (13) | 16 (21) | 0.302 |
| Family history, yes, n (%) | 5 (11.1) | 4 (5) | 0.397 |
| Disease duration, mean ± SD | 8.64±9.17 | 8.84±9.27 | 0.734 |
| Comorbid conditions, yes, n (%) | 20 (44) | 26 (34) | 0.240 |
| Total number of DMARDs, n (%) | 0.032* | ||
| One | 18 (40) | 13 (17) | |
| Two | 15 (33) | 38 (49) | |
| Three | 11 (24) | 22 (29) | |
| >Three | 1 (2) | 4 (5) | |
| ESR (mm/hour), mean ± SD | 24.42±24.86 | 30.52±27.70 | 0.129 |
| CRP (mg/L), mean ± SD | 17.74±29.00 | 15.94±21.53 | 0.947 |
| DAS28, mean ± SD | 3.73±1.55 | 3.85±1.50 | 0.673 |
| HAQ, mean ± SD | 0.53±0.70 | 0.42±0.58 | 0.595 |
| VAS global (mm), mean ± SD | 4.41±3.05 | 4.27±2.59 | 0.781 |
| VAS pain (mm), mean ± SD | 3.92±3.34 | 3.95±3.11 | 0.951 |
| HADS anxiety, n (%) | 29 (64) | 56 (73) | 0.337 |
| HADS depression, n (%) | 25 (56) | 59 (77) | 0.015* |
| Domains of SF-36, mean ± SD | |||
| PF | 54.11±31.43 | 59.48±27.62 | 0.327 |
| RP | 25.56±39.70 | 18.83±34.45 | 0.239 |
| BP | 51.67±26.54 | 46.21±25.41 | 0.262 |
| GH | 42.53±25.01 | 42.23±18.75 | 0.945 |
| VT | 53.33±23.33 | 50.26±15.66 | 0.434 |
| SF | 62.50±31.19 | 60.39±24.54 | 0.680 |
| RE | 37.78±46.38 | 34.20±41.88 | 0.729 |
| MH | 58.58±23.30 | 62.75±14.76 | 0.283 |
Notes:
P<0.05. Adherence, measured with the Compliance Questionnaire on Rheumatology, is expressed as dichotomous (<80% or ≥80% adherence) variable.
Abbreviations: SD, standard deviation; DMARD, disease-modifying antirheumatic drug; ESR, erythrocyte sedimentation rate; CRP, C-reactive protein; DAS28, 28-Joint Disease Activity Score; HAQ, health assessment questionnaire; VAS global, visual analog scale for general health; VAS pain, visual analog scale for pain; HADS, hospital anxiety and depression scale; SF-36, short form-36 questionnaire; PF, physical functioning; RP, role limitations due to physical problems; BP, body pain; GH, general health perception; VT, energy/vitality; SF, social functioning; RE, role limitations due to emotional problems; MH, mental health.