AB1204 A Comparison of Patient's Awareness Between Specialist Rheumatologists' Patients (SRA) and General Physician's Patients (GRA)
Authors: K. Funahashi, T. Matsubara, A. Sagawa, H. Matsuno, T. Izumihara
Journal: Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases (2015)

<h3>Background</h3> We carried out patient surveys, contrasting patients undergoing treatment with biological DMARDS, and those treated with other medications, and demonstrated that patient goals differed *1)*2)*3)*4). As these surveys were of patients treated by rheumatologists (SRA), whether similar differences in patient goals existed in patient populations treated by general physicians (GRA) was unknown. <h3>Objectives</h3> Therefore, a survey was conducted of attendants of public lectures on RA and patient attitudes among GRA were compared to SRA. <h3>Methods</h3> For SRA data, the Biologic DMARDS Research Group survey of 8225 patients was used. Data on patients of general physicians (GRA) attending public lectures was gathered by survey in 2013 (105 patients) and 2014 (106 patients). Patient background was obtained, including which medications they were taking, satisfaction with treatment, impression of biologic DMARDS, expectations of physicians, treatment goals, and reasons for disappointment with treatment, and then the data was compared. <h3>Results</h3> There was little difference in patient background between SRA and GRA. Patient satisfaction levels of “more than satisfied” in the SRA group was 75%, as opposed to 35% in the GRA group, and this level was not changed one year later. Regarding “impression of biologics”, 35% of the patients in the SRA group replied that they would try biologics if recommended, vs. 20% in the GRA group. On the other hand, almost 30% replied they would accept biologics “if remission could be attained”, a figure almost double that of SRA. 40% of the SRA group replied “none in particular” when asked what questions they would like to pose to their doctors, while in the GRA group patients who did not wish to pose questions comprised only 15%, more information was desired by the GRA group patients. SRA patients9 goals exceeded those of the GRA group in every category. “Prevention of joint destruction” was a goal of 20% of SRA patients, vs. 5% of GRA patients. Although 50% of GRA patients expressed dissatisfaction with treatment, the reasons were unclear. <h3>Conclusions</h3> In order to facilitate T2T in Japan, many public lectures are held, but it is evident that many RA patients attending these lectures are not receiving enough information. This demonstrates the importance of patient education by specialist staff in specialist facilities in attaining T2T. The education of RA patients treated at general facilities needs to be addressed. <h3>References</h3> EULAR11-2154. Clin Rheumatol, NOV31(11), 1559-66, 2012. EULAR14-SAT0575. ACR2014 abstract 1913. <h3>Acknowledgements</h3> The authors would like to thank all clinical research coordinators and research nurses in clinic belonged BIOLOGIC DMARDS research group for collecting survey, all patients for participating this research, Ms. Yumi Taketomi for planning public lectures and Ms. Carol Matsubara for correcting English. <h3>Disclosure of Interest</h3> K. Funahashi Grant/research support from: Janssen, T. Matsubara Grant/research support from: Janssen, A. Sagawa Grant/research support from: Janssen, H. Matsuno Grant/research support from: Janssen, T. Izumihara Grant/research support from: Janssen