OBJECTIVETo evaluate the quality of life of arthritis patients in China.

METHODSPatients (n = 1 344) were selected by stratified random sampling according to the economic conditions and the ranking of hospitals, and asked to complete the arthritic self-reported questionnaire of quality of life.

RESULTSThe scores of quality of life were not different between male arthritis and female arthritis in different age groups (P > 0.05). The lower scores of quality of life were reported more often among the women older than 65 years. Those of lower educational level and lower income got fewer scores. Compared to the married and unmarried patients, the divorcees and those who were bereft of their spouses gained low scores (t = 9.310, P = 0.001). Among different occupation groups, the labors and farmers also got lower scores than others (P < 0.05). On the other hand, if the arthritis with better physical conditions, it was more possible that the scores were higher, but to pressed pain index, there were no different scores shown between the second and third grade (mean difference = 4.910, P = 0.765), and to joint swell index, there are no different scores between either the 0 and 1 grade (mean difference = 16.308, P = 0.079) or the 2 and 3 grade (mean difference = 6.643, P = 0.533).

CONCLUSIONTo improve the quality of life of all arthritis patients, enhancing the quality of medical technology and enriching the medical knowledge are evidently necessary. However, it is also important to prefect social security system, to improve the country education and pay attention to life of elderly in order to improve the quality of life of all arthritis patients.