Patient understanding of the causes and medical treatment of rheumatoid arthritis.

One hundred patients with a diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) of more than 6 months' duration were interviewed to assess their knowledge of the disease and its treatment. Only 46 patients said they had received information about their RA from health-care professionals. The most popular source of information used by the patients was television (82%). Patients' beliefs of factors which cause RA and cause flare-ups of disease were numerous. These included stress, exercise, infections and climatic factors. Patients' knowledge of disease symptoms was incomplete. Fifty-eight patients had tried non-prescribed remedies for RA but 70% found these ineffective. Patients wanted more information about their disease and its management. Specifically considering drug treatment, 72 patients said information should be provided in leaflets.