Prioritizing the patient: optimizing therapy in rheumatoid arthritis. Results of a patient questionnaire in northern Germany.

Purpose: A 40-question postal survey was developed to gain insight into the nature of difficulties experienced by patients due to rheumatoid arthritis (RA), as well as patient perceptions and priorities regarding their RA treatment.

Patients And Methods: A total of 3000 Lower Saxony, Germany members of Rheuma-Liga (RL), a patient support group for people with RA, were invited to participate between July 1, and August 20, 2009. The questionnaire was divided into four sections: (1) patient demographics, (2) quality of life (QOL), (3) treatment expectations and, (4) patient perceptions of RL.