Worse functional status and increased probability of functional decline are seen for patients with RA with lower socioeconomic status (SES), according to a study published in JAMA Network Open. Among 83,965 patients with a confirmed RA diagnosis, researchers found that the mean functional status score was worse at lower SES levels for all measures (eg, Multidimensional Health Assessment Questionnaire quintile 1 and 5: 1.79 and 2.43, respectively). The probabilities of functional decline were 14.1% and 18.9% in the highest and lowest SES quintiles, respectively, in longitudinal analyses. Disease activity partially mediated the association between SES and functional decline (7%).
Poverty Tied to Worse Functional Status in RA
