TY - JOUR T1 - Does Socioeconomic Status Affect Outcomes in Early Inflammatory Arthritis? Data from a Canadian Multisite Suspected Rheumatoid Arthritis Inception Cohort JF - The Journal of Rheumatology JO - J Rheumatol DO - 10.3899/jrheum.131382 SP - jrheum.131382 AU - Grace Yang AU - Vivian P. Bykerk AU - Gilles Boire AU - Carol A. Hitchon AU - J. Carter Thorne AU - Diane Tin AU - Boulos Haraoui AU - Edward C. Keystone AU - Janet E. Pope AU - , and the CATCH Investigators Y1 - 2014/11/15 UR - http://www.jrheum.org/content/early/2014/11/11/jrheum.131382.abstract N2 - Objective To assess the effect of socioeconomic status (SES) on outcomes in patients with early inflammatory arthritis, using data from the Canadian Early Arthritis Cohort (CATCH) study. Methods In an incident cohort, 2023 patients were recruited, and allocated to low SES or high SES groups based on education and income. Outcomes at baseline and 12 months were analyzed in relation to SES including the 28-joint Disease Activity Score (DAS28), Simplified Disease Activity Index (SDAI), pain, patient’s global assessment scale (PtGA), the Health Assessment Questionnaire–Disability Index (HAQ-DI), and the SF12-v2 Health Survey, using the ANOVA, chi-squared test, and regression analyses. Results The CATCH population had 43% with high school education or less and 37% in the low-income group (< 50,000 Can$ per annum household income). The low-education group had higher DAS28 at baseline (p = 0.045), becoming nonsignificant at 12 months and lower physical component score on SF12-v2 at baseline (p = 0.022). Patients in the low-income group presented with higher HAQ-DI (p = 0.017), pain (p = 0.035), PtGA (p = 0.004), and SDAI (p = 0.022). Low-income versus high-income groups were associated with an OR above the median for HAQ-DI (1.20; 95% CI 1.00–1.45), PtGA (1.27; 95% CI 1.06–1.53), and SDAI (1.25; 95% CI 1.02–1.52) at baseline. The association with low income persisted at 12 months for HAQ-DI (OR 1.30; 95% CI 1.02–1.67), but not for other variables. Conclusion Low SES was initially associated with higher disease activity, pain, and PtGA, and poorer function. At 1 year, outcomes were similar to those with high SES, with the exception of HAQ-DI. ER -