Abstract:

The aim of this study was to compare the quality of life, fear avoidance beliefs, physical activity levels, exercise and physical activity consciousness status of Ankylosing spondylitis (AS), Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) and healthy individuals and to investigate the relationship between disease activity level with these parameters in AS and RA. AS (n=27), RA (n=28), and healthy (n=28) individuals were included in this study. Participants' disease activity levels, physical activity levels (Short form-International Physical Activity Questionnaire, IPAQ-7), fear avoidance beliefs (Fear-Avoidance Beliefs Questionnaire), FABQ), physical activity and exercise awareness (Exercise and Physical Activity Consciousness Questionnaire, EPACQ), and quality of life (Short form-36, SF-36) were evaluated. AS and RA groups IPAQ-7, EPACQ and SF-36 scores were similar and lower than healthy group (p<0.05). FABQ scores of the AS and RA groups were higher than the healthy individuals (p<0.05). There was a negative correlation between disease activity and UFAA-7 and SF36 scores (p<0.05) A positive correlation was found between the disease activity and FABQ scores in the AS and RA groups (p<0.05). These results may indicate that patients with RA and AS may have similar disease burden and may have false beliefs that exercise and physical activity will increase the disease burden in these patients.

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