Rheumatoid Arthritis and Women:Indian Scenario

Rheumatoid arthritis, an inflammatory disease of unknown etiology that occurs in about 1-2% of the adult population, is an autoimmune disease in which a person's immune system which normally protects the body from infection & disease attacks the joint tissues & is commonly associated with chrome inflammation of joints. There are many risk factors associated with rheumatoid arthritis & one of them is gender Studies have reported that women are three times more likely than men to have rheumatoid arthritis & they have more severe rheumatoid arthritis symptoms than men. Preventing rheumatoid arthritis is better than trying to treat the pain and disability & the other things that come along with it like heart diseases & diabetes. In order to reduce joint stress, ideal body weight should be achieved & maintained as obesity stresses the musculoskeletal system Effective means for reducing stress on specific joints should be used. A diet rich in antioxidants is also recommended for the rheumatoid arthritis patients. The goal of medical care is not only to achieve long term survival but also to achieve the best possible psychological, social and spiritual wellbeing. With increased life expectancy of these patients, complication keep arising such as toxicities, hepatic involvement, psychiatric problems and psychological manifestations, these manifest as anxiety, nervousness, irritability, demanding attention, depression in RA patients. This paper emphasizes the fact that these patients may require something more than simple medical management and also psychological support, we need to develop preventive strategies like adherence counseling, crisis intervention, psychological counseling and social support and educational programs for awareness. The paper gives a brief overview of the disease and focuses on the behavior of women with RA. We have described their psychological symptoms and strongly recommend psychological intervention as part of effective management plan.