Marital Status in Rheumatoid Arthritis

Summary

The number of rheumatoid arthritics, married, unmarried, divorced and widowed, was compared with identical marital data in non-arthritic controls, matched as to sex, age, occupation and geographical area in the counties of Norrbotten, Jämtland and Skaraborg in Sweden. The material consisted of 102 male and 282 female rheumatoid arthritics (classical, definite and probable — ARA criteria) being nearly all persons with this disease among total populations of 22,664 persons within the three geographical areas. The chi-square test showed no significant differences in marital status among the rheumatoid arthritics (added or divided into subgroups of classical, definite and probable RA) and the matched controls. The marital status of the rheumatics in five-year age groups was also investigated and compared with matched controls. In neither age group did the marital status among the rheumatoid arthritics and the controls differ significantly. Association of rheumatoid arthritis with divorce has been reported in the literature but could thus not be verified in this prevalence survey.