CORRELATION between the ATTITUDE of PATIENTS SUFFERING from CHRONIC RHEUMATIC DISEASES TOWARDS REMOTE CONSULTATIONS by RHEUMATOLOGIST and the HEALTH LOCUS of CONTROL

ABSTRACT

Background: During the COVID-19 pandemic telemedicine has become an important and safe means for patients suffering from chronic diseases to control their condition with the assistance of a physician [1]. In order to ensure that treatment of chronic rheumatic diseases is effective, it is important that patients develop a favorable attitude towards telerheumatology [2] as well as disease-related individual behavior, which signifcantly depends on the patients' health locus of control [3]. Objectives: To analyze the attitude of patients suffering from chronic rheumatic diseases towards peculiarities of remote consultations by a rheumatologist and their correlation with health locus of control. Methods: To reveal the patients' attitude towards remote consultations by a rheumatologist, an original questionnaire has been prepared, which contains reasons for choosing remote consultations, fears about such consultations and their advantages. Health locus of control was evaluated using a Multidimensional Health Locus of Control (MHLC) scale, which consists of three subscales Internal, Chance, and Powerful Others. Demographical questions and questions related to health are also included in the questionnaire. 207 subjects participated in the study 177 (85.5 %) women and 30 (14.5 %) men, (Mage=39.4, SD=11.76). The majority of subjects were diagnosed with spondyloarthritis (n=83), connective tissue diseases (n=53), rheumatoid arthritis (n=49), and osteoarthritis (n=20), 42 subjects were diagnosed with some other rheumatic diseases. 111 (53.6%) patients had the previous experience of remote consulting by a rheumatologist. Results: It has been determined that the attitude of patients with rheumatic diseases is related to various demographic characteristics of patients, e.g., gender, etc., and the peculiarities of the disease, e.g., strength of the symptoms, etc. It has been found that patients without experience of remote consultations have more fears about such consultations (p=0.024). When comparing the average of statements revealing a positive attitude M=66.4% with the average of statements revealing a negative attitude M=27.3%, it becomes clear that the overall attitude of subjects toward remote consultations of a rheumatologist is favorable. To assess correlations between positive or negative attitude of patients with rheumatic diseases and health locus of control correlational analysis was performed. The results did not confrm the expected correlations between the positive attitude of patients with the internal locus of control. However, it has been obtained that negative attitude towards remote consultations by a rheumatologist positively correlates with two indicators of health locus of control-Chance (r=0.203, p≤0.0001) and Powerful Others (r=0.194, p=0.01), although the said correlation is not strong, but statistically signifcant. Conclusion: The study has revealed the major fears and satisfaction sources related to remote consultations of Lithuanian patients with rheumatic diseases. In addition, it has shown that personal convictions of a patient that health depends on the circumstances and the influence of other people exacerbates the attitude towards remote consultations.