Volume 5, Issue 4, August 2013, Pages 347–351
Original article
- Department of Humanistic Sciences in Medicine, Wroclaw Medical University, Poland, ul. Mikulicza-Radeckiego 7, 50-367 Wrocław, Poland
- Received 28 September 2012, Revised 22 March 2013, Accepted 25 March 2013, Available online 9 May 2013
Abstract
Aim of the study
The
aim of this study is to establish whether the willingness to undergo
acupuncture treatment in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is
associated with illness representations, movement limitations, and pain.
Materials and methods
Participants
in this observational study were 88 female patients with RA (mean
age = 57, SD = 13.9). The Health Assessment Questionnaire Disability
Index and Pain Scale (HAQ-DI), and The Revised Illness Perception
Questionnaire (IPQ-R) were the outcome measures used in the study.
Results
Significant
predictors of the willingness to use acupuncture were age and two
elements of illness representations: personal control, and treatment
control. Neither the intensity of pain nor the functional disability was
a predictor of the willingness to undergo acupuncture treatment.
Conclusions
Making
a decision concerning acupuncture treatment is more influenced by
illness representations than by the aggregation of illness symptoms. IR
is a very important structure determining the behaviour of the patient
during the illness.
Keywords
- Complementary and alternative medicine;
- Acupuncture;
- Illness representations;
- Rheumatoid arthritis
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