Perceived Barriers, Facilitators and Benefits for Regular Physical Activity and Exercise in Patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis: A Review of the Literature.

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an autoimmune disease, which not only affects the joints but can also impact on general well-being and risk for cardiovascular disease. Regular physical activity and exercise in patients with RA have numerous health benefits. Nevertheless, the majority of patients with RA are physically inactive.

The man-in-the-moon face: a qualitative study of body image, self-image and medication use in systemic lupus erythematosus.

Objective: Little is yet known about the interactions between body image, self-image, medication use and adherence to medication in people with SLE. Using a qualitative mode of enquiry, we sought to understand these experiences within a group of patients diagnosed with SLE.

Methods: Fifteen participants (14 female, 1 male) with SLE took part in semi-structured interviews.

A randomized controlled trial of a cognitive behavioural patient education intervention vs a traditional information leaflet to address the cardiovascular aspects of rheumatoid disease.

Objectives: Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is responsible for 50% of the excess mortality for patients with RA. This study aimed to evaluate a novel 8-week cognitive behavioural patient education intervention designed to effect behavioural change with regard to modifiable CVD risk factors in people with RA.

Methods: This was a non-blinded randomized controlled trial with a delayed intervention arm.

Patient evaluation of a novel patient education leaflet about heart disease risk among people with rheumatoid arthritis.

Objectives: People with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) require access to clear and consistent information about their condition, and Arthritis Research UK produces a wide range of leaflets to meet this need. There is no patient information leaflet about cardiovascular disease (CVD) in the context of having RA, despite the fact that CVD accounts for 50% of the mortality in RA. A leaflet was developed; this paper describes the patient evaluation of this novel education resource.

Translating patient education theory into practice: developing material to address the cardiovascular education needs of people with rheumatoid arthritis.

Objective: This paper describes the rationale and design of a theory-informed patient education programme addressing cardiovascular disease for people with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) to illustrate how theory can explicitly be translated into practice.

Methods: A steering group of rheumatologists and psychologists was convened to design the programme. The Common Sense Model, the Theory of Planned Behaviour and the Stages of Change Model were used to underpin the topics and activities in the programme.

'All singing from the same hymn sheet': healthcare professionals' perceptions of developing patient education material about the cardiovascular aspects of rheumatoid arthritis.

Objective: Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of death in Britain, and its prevention is a priority. Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients have an increased risk of CVD, and management of modifiable classical risk factors requires a programme with patient education at its heart. Before a programme for RA patients is implemented, it is important to explore the perceptions of patients and relevant healthcare professionals and consider how these could influence the subsequent content, timing and delivery of such education.

'Extra information a bit further down the line': rheumatoid arthritis patients' perceptions of developing educational material about the cardiovascular disease risk.

Objective: There are no patient education programmes addressing the increased risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) associated with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). This is the second in a pair of studies exploring stakeholder perceptions of developing such educational material. Healthcare professionals' perceptions were explored in the first study; here, we explore the perceptions of people with RA.

Development and initial validation of a heart disease knowledge questionnaire for people with rheumatoid arthritis.

Objective: To develop and validate two parallel versions of the Heart Disease Fact Questionnaire-Rheumatoid Arthritis (HDFQ-RA), a modified and RA-specific version of the HDFQ.

Methods: The questionnaire was composed of generic questions from the original HDFQ with additional RA-specific questions added. Cognitive interviewing was performed and the questionnaire piloted to generate two parallel questionnaires.

The health and life experiences of mothers with rheumatoid arthritis: a phenomenological study.

Background: In our varied roles as health care professionals and researchers, many women with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) have commented to us about their feelings of inability to cope with everyday tasks, especially within their role as mothers.

Aims: This study explored the health and life experiences of mothers with RA in order to increase knowledge about this group of women and inform health care professionals who provide them with support before and after becoming a mother.

Methods: A phenomenological approach was adopted, and individual face-to-face semi-structured interviews were carried out with a sample of seven women, aged 21-41 years, who had lived with RA for 3-11 years and had one or more children under five years of age (total range of ages being 1-7 years).

Qualitative methodologies II: a brief guide to applying interpretative phenomenological analysis in musculoskeletal care.

In this paper, we conclude our two-part series discussing how readers of Musculoskeletal Care might employ qualitative methods. In the first paper of the series, we focused upon some issues surrounding the distinctions and similarities between qualitative and quantitative approaches, and outlined the origins, typology and limitations of qualitative methods. We introduced one particular qualitative research process which readers may find useful: interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA).

Qualitative methodologies I: asking research questions with reflexive insight.

The purpose of this paper, the first of a series of two discussion pieces, is to introduce some of the issues in the debate surrounding qualitative research to the readers of Musculoskeletal Care. Recent issues of the Journal have seen an informative focus on quantitative methods and statistical analysis, and here we provide an equivalent introduction to semi-structured interviewing and qualitative analysis in this series. In the qualitative tradition, we have tried to keep our discussion reflexive, transparent and contextualized within the history of the approach and the theoretical considerations that underlie it, including the origins, nature, methods and limits of the approach.