Health Belief, Perceived Control, and Quality of Life in Rheumatoid Arthritis Patients

Abstract

This current research study examined the relationship between health belief, perceived control, and quality of life in rheumatoid arthritis patients. It was hypothesized that there was likely to be a significant relationship between health belief, perceived control, and quality of life in rheumatoid arthritis patients. A sample of 130 participants comprising both male and female patients (M=65; F=63) was taken from different hospitals in Lahore. This study employed a quantitative correlational research design. Non-probability purposive sampling was used for the selection of participants. A questionnaire comprising of Demographic Information Sheet, Consent Form, Questionnaire for Arthritis Dialogue (Laure et al., 2019), Sense of Control Scale (Lachman & Weaver, 1998), and Rheumatoid Arthritis Quality of Life (RAQOL) was used to collect responses from the participants. The results were generated using the Independent Samples t-test, Pearson Product-Moment Correlation, Multiple hierarchal Regression, and Moderation. The study findings revealed that all the study variables are correlated to each other. Health belief was positively correlated with quality of life while perceived control positively correlated with quality of life. There were no significant gender differences across the study variables. This research study provides direction for future research and the development of targeted interventions to optimize the care and quality of life for individuals living with rheumatoid arthritis.