Fatigue and sleep disturbances as common problems in life of patients with rheumatoid arthritis

This paper deals with the problems of fatigue and sleep difficulties as a normal part of the life of patients with rheumatoid arthritis. Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic, inflammatory and systemic disorder which can cause the ill many other difficulties than just the primary infliction of motoric apparatus. Common problems for those suffering from this disease are fatigue and sleep disturbances, which are considered to be very exhausting problems for the ill. This paper uses part of the results gained from a research project conducted by the Grant Agency of the University of South Bohemia in České Budějovice, Number 120/2012/S “Reflection of Quality of Life in Nursing”. The research survey in patients with rheumatoid arthritis has been accomplished by means of two standardized questionnaires WHOQOL-100 (The World Health Organization Quality of Life) and HAQ (Health Assessment Questionnaire). This paper mentions only the selected results gained pursuant to the WHOQOL-100 questionnaire. The research file was formed using 50 men and 150 women suffering from rheumatoid arthritis across the entire Czech Republic. The selection of respondents was achieved pursuant to the quota selection, whereas two quotas were determined - “presence of diagnosis rheumatoid arthritis” and “gender”. The data collection occurred between January and May 2013. The acquired results were then processed using the statistical programmes SASD and SPSS. Pursuant to our survey, a degree of fatigue was experienced by 94% of patients with rheumatoid arthritis and only 29.5% have expressed satisfaction with the amount of energy needed for daily life. In the sphere of sleep and rest, various intensive problems were mentioned by 78% of respondents. An interesting finding here is the fact that men feel a higher quality of life in the sphere of sleep than women do. These problems should be considered in care of the ill with rheumatoid arthritis because these problems markedly decrease the quality of life for all of the ill.