Satisfaction of Patients and Physicians with Treatments for Rheumatoid Arthritis: A Population-Based Survey in China

Figures & data

Table 1 Characteristics of the Patients

Characteristics	N=1237
Age (years)	48.9±13.4
Sex
Male	217 (17.5%)
Female	1020 (82.5%)
Occupation
Persons in charge of party organizations, state organizations, mass organizations, social organizations, enterprises, and institutions	124 (10.0%)
Professionals	109 (8.8%)
Clerks	85 (6.9%)
Service staff	148 (12.0%)
Agricultural, forestry, animal husbandry, fisheries, and auxiliary personnel	183 (14.8%)
Manufacturing and related personnel	39 (3.2%)
Soldier	1 (0.1%)
Others	548 (44.3%)
Education Level
Junior high school or below	555 (44.9%)
Senior high school	342 (27.6%)
College	312 (25.2%)
Master degree or above	28 (2.3%)
Duration of Rheumatoid Arthritis (Years)
<2	385 (31.1%)
2–5	358 (28.9%)
6–10	218 (17.6%)
>10	276 (22.3%)
Severity of the Disease Assessed by the Patient
Severe	230 (18.6%)
Moderate	543 (43.9%)
Mild	425 (34.4%)
Extremely mild	39 (3.2%)
DAS28-ESR	4.2±1.7
DAS28-CRP	3.7±1.6
PtGA	4.29±2.52
Current Medication
csDMARDs	1037 (83.8%)
Glucocorticoids	488 (39.5%)
bDMARDs	202 (16.3%)
Communication with Physicians
Full communication	818 (66.1%)
Good communication, but a little hasty	247 (20.0%)
Average communication level and can get the information	98 (7.9%)
Less communication with physicians	60 (4.9%)
Basically no communication	14 (1.1%)
Cost of Treatment for Rheumatoid Arthritis, Proportion of Household Income (%)
<10	442 (35.7%)
10–30	274 (22.2%)
31–50	264 (21.3%)
>50	257 (20.8%)
Satisfaction Towards General Diagnostic and Treatment Services
Extremely satisfied	745 (60.2%)
Very satisfied	287 (23.2%)
Satisfied	109 (8.8%)
Somewhat satisfied	79 (6.4%)
Not quite satisfied	6 (0.5%)
Dissatisfied	3 (0.2%)
Extremely dissatisfied	8 (0.7%)

Note: Data are expressed as mean±standard deviation or n (%).

Abbreviations: bDMARDs, biological disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs; csDMARDS, conventional synthetic disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs; DAS28-ESR, disease activity score 28-erythrocyte sedimentation rate; DAS28-CRP, disease activity score 28-C-reactive protein; PtGA, patient global assessment of disease activity.

Figure 1 Patient flowchart.

Table 2 TSQM-II Summary Scores

Treatment		Patients	Physicians	P
All medications (patients’ questionnaire)/csDMARDs (physicians’ questionnaire)^a	N	1237	146
Effectiveness	Median (range)	83.3 (0–100)	66.7 (33.3–100)
Side effects	Median (range)	100 (16.7–100)	75 (16.7–100)
Convenience	Median (range)	81.3 (18.6–100)	68.8 (31.3–100)
Global satisfaction	Median (range)	83.3 (8.3–100)	66.7 (16.7–100)
bDMARDs^a	N	335	146
Effectiveness	Median (range)	83.3 (0–100)	75 (33.3–100)*	0.302
Side effects	Median (range)	100 (8.3–100)	87.5 (16.7–100)*	<0.001
Convenience	Median (range)	75 (0–100)	68.8 (12.5–100)	0.001
Global satisfaction	Median (range)	75 (0–100)	75 (16.7–100)*	0.889

Notes: ^aSatisfaction with all medications or bDMARDs was assessed in the patients’ questionnaire, while satisfaction with csDMARDs or bDMARDs was assessed in the physicians’ questionnaire. *P<0.05, bDMARDs vs csDMARDs in physicians.

Abbreviations: bDMARDs, biological disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs; csDMARDs, conventional synthetic disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs; SD, standard deviation.

Figure 2 Radar charts with items for patients and physicians, showing satisfaction with biological disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs. P<0.05 in question (Q) 3, Q4, Q5, Q7, and Q8.

Figure 3 Radar charts with items for physicians, showing satisfaction with biological disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (bDMARDs) and conventional synthetic DMARDs (csDMARDs). P<0.05 in question (Q) 1, Q2, Q3, Q4, Q5, and Q9.

Table 3 Factors Influencing the Patients’ Satisfaction with All Medications, Detected Using Multivariable Linear Regression Analysis

Factors	β	Se	Adjusted β	P
Age	0.113	0.044	0.076	0.010
Profession
Office workers	Reference
Service staff	−3.515	2.061	−0.058	0.088
Agricultural, forestry, animal husbandry, fisheries, and auxiliary personnel	0.529	2.1	0.01	0.801
Manufacturing and related personnel	−4.707	3.286	−0.042	0.152
Soldier and others	1.183	1.596	0.03	0.459
Education Level
Junior high school and below	Reference
Senior high school	−2.709	1.397	−0.061	0.053
College or above	−6.202	1.731	−0.14	<0.001
Duration of Rheumatoid Arthritis (Years)
<2	Reference
2–5	−1.937	1.381	−0.044	0.161
6–10	0.703	1.589	0.014	0.658
>10	−1.09	1.522	−0.023	0.474
Severity of the Disease Assessed by the Patient
Severe	Reference
Moderate	3.954	1.55	0.099	0.011
Mild	8.243	1.664	0.198	<0.001
Extremely mild	17.201	3.322	0.152	<0.001
Communication with Physicians
Full communication	Reference
Good communication, but a little hasty	−6.872	1.369	−0.139	<0.001
Average communication level and can get the information	−12.001	1.999	−0.164	<0.001
Less communication with physicians	−10.337	2.505	−0.112	<0.001
Basically no communication	−14.783	5.03	−0.079	0.003
Cost of Treatment for Rheumatoid Arthritis, Proportion of Household Income (%)
<10	Reference
10–30	−1.128	1.455	−0.027	0.438
31–50	−5.261	1.663	−0.109	0.002
>50	−1.931	1.728	−0.04	0.264

Table 4 Factors Influencing the Patients’ Satisfaction with bDMARDs, Detected Using Multivariable Linear Regression Analysis

Factors	β	Se	Adjusted β	P
Age	0.037	0.099	0.021	0.712
Profession
Office workers	Reference
Service staff	1.507	4.457	0.021	0.736
Agricultural, forestry, animal husbandry, fisheries, and auxiliary personnel	−0.501	4.843	−0.007	0.918
Manufacturing and related personnel	−2.976	6.668	−0.026	0.656
Soldier and others	2.21	3.44	0.046	0.521
Education Level
Junior high school and below	Reference
Senior high school	−4.69	3.352	−0.092	0.163
College or above	−8.397	3.742	−0.175	0.026
Duration of Rheumatoid Arthritis (Years)
<2	Reference
2–5	−10.675	3.567	−0.207	0.003
6–10	−7.456	3.772	−0.135	0.049
>10	−15.578	3.753	−0.29	<0.001
Severity of the Disease Assessed by the Patient
Severe	Reference
Moderate	3.15	3.466	0.068	0.364
Mild	2.369	3.957	0.045	0.550
Extremely mild	16.634	7.736	0.122	0.032
Communication with Physicians
Full communication	Reference
Good communication, but a little hasty	−7.79	3.036	−0.144	0.011
Average communication level and can get the information	−8.008	4.534	−0.095	0.078
Less communication with physicians	−5.296	5.302	−0.054	0.319
Basically no communication	−7.553	13.151	−0.031	0.566
Cost of Treatment for Rheumatoid Arthritis, Proportion of Household Income (%)
<10	Reference
10–30	−5.222	4.259	−0.107	0.221
31–50	−9.376	4.622	−0.167	0.043
>50	−8.731	4.510	−0.174	0.054

Abbreviations: RA, rheumatoid arthritis; bDMARDs, biological disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs; TSQM-II, Treatment Satisfaction Questionnaire for Medication, version II; CREDIT, Chinese Registry of Rheumatoid Arthritis; EULAR, European League Against Rheumatism; ACR, American College of Rheumatology; DAS28, Disease Activity Score 28; SD, standard deviation; csDMARDS, conventional synthetic disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs; DAS28-ESR, disease activity score 28-erythrocyte sedimentation rate; DAS28-CRP, disease activity score 28-C-reactive protein; PtGA, patient global assessment of disease activity; bDMARDs, biological disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs.