Pos1192-hpr assessment of knowledge and attitude in moroccan patients with rheumatoid arthritis

Background Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic, disabling condition that impairs quality of life. Objectives The objective of the study was to evaluate the knowledge and attitude of Moroccan patients with rheumatoid arthritis, and to determine the factors associated with them. Thus, it will be possible to set up a targeted education program for a better adherence to treatments. Methods This is a descriptive and analytical monocentric study of patients followed up for RA at Al Ayachi University Hospital, Sale, Morocco; and of patients who are members of the Moroccan Association for the fight against Rheumatoid Arthritis (AMP), from December 2021 to July 2022. The consent of the study population was free and informed. The interview questionnaire was developed by the team of rheumatologists and included sociodemographic data, the patients’ knowledge about their disease, the treatments and their side effects, the follow-up and the patients’ attitude toward self-medication. A score was indicated between 0 and 10 and represents the rate of correct answers per patient. Results We recruited 200 patients. The mean age was 55.1 ± 12.0 years, and the majority were women (91%). More than half of the population (57.5%) was illiterate and only 5.5% of the patients had a university education. ¾ of the population was urban (74.5%), and 93% were not working. 64.5% correctly identified the nature of RA as an autoimmune disease, and 26% correctly recognized that RA has a genetic predisposition. 58.5% of patients do not use corticosteroids over the counter against medical advice, 78% do not discontinue corticosteroids abruptly. Whereas 49.4% of patients undergoing biotherapy do not discontinue methotrexate against medical opinion. Moreover, the majority of patients (85%) had a favorable attitude for not accepting paramedic’s opinions. Only about a third of patients (30%) knew that pneumopathy could be a possible complication of Methotrexate. 56% did not know what a biomedical drug is, 82.1% did not know that infection is an adverse effect of a biomedical drug, and 98% had no idea what a biosimilar is. The study revealed that 67% of the patients had a total score of correct answers more than 5.0, and the remaining 33% had a score between 2.0 and 4.5. Conclusion The level of knowledge of the disease and attitudes among Moroccan patients with RA was globally satisfying. The maintenance and improvement of this level of knowledge and the acquisition of good practices remain fundamental, in particular by diversifying the sources of information: awareness campaign by direct doctor-patient contact, multimedia supports and patients’ associations. REFERENCES: NIL. Acknowledgements: NIL. Disclosure of Interests None Declared.