Pain, decreased mobility, frailty and disability. These are all potential effects of rheumatoid arthritis, a degenerative autoimmune disease that affects more than 2.3 million Europeans.
According to a European Alliance for Patient Access questionnaire of 128 patients from the United Kingdom, Germany and Portugal, patients with rheumatoid arthritis overwhelmingly agree that trust and shared decision-making with their health care provider are critical. Yet some patients struggle to share their experience or have straightforward discussions with their health care provider about sensitive issues.