Table 2.
Patient characteristics
| Variable | Total (n = 365) | |
|---|---|---|
| Socio-demographic status | ||
| Age years, mean (SD) | 64.2 | (11.4) |
| Age group, n (%) | ||
| < 60 years | 121 | (33) |
| 60–69 years | 94 | (26) |
| ≥ 70 years | 150 | (41) |
| Female sex, n (%) | 299 | (82) |
| Employment status, n (%) | ||
| Working full time or part time | 167 | (54) |
| Not working | 198 | (46) |
| Health literacy scores, mean (SD) | ||
| Total score | 52.1 | (7.2) |
| Functional health literacy | 20.8 | (3.7) |
| Communicative health literacy | 18.3 | (3.5) |
| Critical health literacy | 13.0 | (3.0) |
| Clinical status | ||
| Disease duration, mean (SD) | 11.3 | (9.9) |
| DAS28-ESR, mean (SD) | 2.7 | (1.0) |
| < 2.6 (remission), n (%) | 118 | (32) |
| HAQ, mean (SD) | 0.42 | (0.58) |
| Biological agent used, n (%) | 178 | (49) |
| Methotrexate used, n (%) | 231 | (63) |
| Glucocorticoid used, n (%) | 86 | (24) |
| Number of comorbidities without RA, n (%) | ||
| None | 182 | (50) |
| 1–2 | 155 | (42) |
| ≥ 3 | 28 | (7.7) |
SD, standard deviation; HL, health literacy; DAS28-ESR, disease activity score in 28 joints using erythrocyte sedimentation rate; HAQ, Health Assessment Questionnaire; RA, rheumatoid arthritis. Health literacy was measured by the 14-item health literacy scale (HLS-14)