Participant characteristics by arthritis type. Values are the mean ± SD or n (%) unless otherwise indicated.
| Variable | RA, n = 37 | OA, n = 38 | p |
|---|---|---|---|
| Age, yrs | 46.6 ± 12.1 | 57.9 ± 8.7 | < 0.001 |
| Female | 36 (97) | 36 (95) | 0.572 |
| College graduate | 20 (54) | 19 (50) | 0.831 |
| Minority | 14 (38) | 20 (53) | 0.198 |
| Disease duration, yrs | 8.5 ± 7.6 | 10.1 ± 10.2 | 0.431 |
| SF-36 component scores | |||
| PCS | 34.1 ± 10.9 | 35.5 ± 9.8 | 0.568 |
| MCS | 48.6 ± 12.4 | 54.4 ± 9.9 | 0.032 |
| SF-36 scales | |||
| Physical function | 57.7 ± 24.6 | 49.6 ± 21.5 | 0.142 |
| Role physical | 34.1 ± 38.4 | 43.4 ± 37.5 | 0.305 |
| Bodily pain | 48.0 ± 19.1 | 53.7 ± 17.4 | 0.193 |
| General health | 46.7 ± 24.3 | 66.7 ± 18.2 | 0.000 |
| Vitality | 45.6 ± 21.2 | 51.1 ± 20.2 | 0.272 |
| Social function | 62.9 ± 24.7 | 79.6 ± 22.6 | 0.004 |
| Role emotional | 68.7 ± 42.4 | 71.1 ± 40.4 | 0.811 |
| Mental health | 69.7 ± 21.1 | 80.1 ± 13.1 | 0.014 |
RA: rheumatoid arthritis; OA: osteoarthritis; SF-36: Medical Outcomes Study Short Form-36; PCS: physical component summary; MCS: mental component summary.