Date of Award

12-1987

Degree Name

Master of Science

Department

Occupational Therapy

Access Setting

Masters Thesis-Open Access

Abstract

Fatigue is a major symptom of rheumatoid arthritis (RA), along with joint pain, stiffness and functional impairment. Balancing activity and rest in order to decrease fatigue is frequently mentioned by health professionals as an important strategy in the management of the disease. One hundred and three adult men and women with RA were surveyed via a written questionnaire about their experience of fatigue, four types of rest, employment status, duration of illness, age, sex, and advice about rest. Frequencies related to these variables are reported. Some rest variables were found to be significantly correlated with age and fatigue. No significant correlations were found between fatigue and age or duration of illness. Significant differences in rest variables were found when comparing groups that differed in duration of illness, sex or employment status. No significant differences in fatigue were found in a comparison of men and women.

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