Health-related quality of life assessment in a group of children with juvenile idiopathic arthritis (original) (raw)

INTRODUCTION Juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) is a type of arthritis that causes joint inflammation and stiffness for more than six weeks in a child aged 16 years or younger. It is classified into seven categories; systemic-onset type, persistent and extended oligoarthritis, polyarthritis with rheumatoid factor negative, polyarthritis with rheumatoid factor positive, psoriatic arthritis, enthesitis-related arthritis and undifferentiated arthritis. Juvenile idiopathic arthritis affects not only the patients, but also their caregivers, thereby altering the quality of life of all involved family members. The understanding of the extent to which juvenile idiopathic arthritis can affect quality of life will help establish therapeutic, environmental, and behavioral interventions allowing for a more favorable disease outcome. Quality of life is defined as the perception that individuals have of their position in life in the context of the culture and system of values in which they live ...