Patients' attitudes and experiences of disease ‐modifying anti‐rheumatic drugs in rheumatoid arthritis and spondyloarthritis: A qualitative synthesis

Conclusions: Patients perceive DMARDs as strong medications with alarming side effects that intensify their disease identity. Trust and confidence in medical care, positive experiences with DMARDS among other patients, and an expectation that medications will help maintain participation in life can motivate patients to use DMARDs. Creating a supportive environment for patients to voice their concerns may improve treatment satisfaction, adherence and health outcomes. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

Source: Arthritis Care and Research - July 21, 2017 Category: Rheumatology Authors: Ayano Kelly, Kathleen Tymms, David J Tunnicliffe, Daniel Sumpton, Chandima Perera, Kieran Fallon, Jonathan C. Craig, Walter Abhayaratna, Allison Tong Tags: Original Article Source Type: research