Patients’ perceptions of health related quality of life in rheumatoid arthritis and chronic low back pain MontserratNu´ n˜ ez 1 , Alex Sanchez 2 , Esther Nun˜ ez 3 , Teresa Casals 1 , Cayetano Alegre 4 &Jose´ Mun˜oz-Gomez 1 1 Service of Rheumatology, Musculoskeletal Clinic Institute, Hospital Clinic, Barcelona, Spain (E-mail: MNUNEZ@clinic.ub.es); 2 Department of Statistics, University of Barcelona, Spain; 3 Institute Catala ´ de la Salut, Barcelona, Spain; 4 Service of Rheumatology, Hospital Vall Hebro ´n, Barcelona, Spain Accepted in revised form 30 June 2005 Abstract Objectives: To determine how health related quality of life (HRQL) is perceived by patients with rheu- matoid arthritis (RA) and chronic low back pain (CLBP) using a textual analysis approach. Patients: Two- hundred and forty-eight outpatients (85% female), mean age 58±13 years (40% RA and 60% CLBP). Methods: Observational descriptive study. Sociodemographic and clinical variables were determined. A questionnaire was designed which included an open question ‘‘What does health related quality of life mean to you.’’ which patients answered in writing. Textual data analysis was performed using a previous de- scribed method based on multivariate descriptive statistical methods. Results: The two groups were homogenous with respect to gender, educational level, disease duration, comorbid conditions and global functional status. Patients with RA and CLBP used clearly differentiated terms to describe HRQL (RA: to be able (capable), house; CLBP: life, health, quality). RA patients were specific and primarily concerned with functional status and CLBP patients with health and life. The most characteristic phrase used by RA patients was: ‘‘to be able to do housework’’ and for CLBP: ‘‘health is the most important thing for quality of life.’’ In the factorial representation, the two pathologies were markedly separated. Conclusions: A series of characteristic answers on HRQL may be identified in patients with RA and CLBP, showing that they have different perceptions about what HRQL is according to their pathology. The use of open questions in a group of homogenous patients with specific pathologies could result in more disease-specific responses. Textual statistical analysis of open questions may provide more information than standard methods, and may be considered as valid for the analysis of subjective issues such as quality of life. Key words: Chronic low back pain, Health related quality of life, Rheumatoid arthritis, Textual statistical analysis Abbreviations: HRQL – health related quality of life; RA – rheumatoid arthritis; CLBP – chronic low back pain Introduction Musculoskeletal diseases represent 40% of chronic diseases, more than half the cases of disability and account for 20% of health resources. These dis- eases affect many aspects of life, such as physical function and autonomy, which can have important effects on patients’ quality of life [1]. Health related quality of life (HRQL) is a com- plex, subjective, abstract concept, which is usually defined using studies aimed at isolating its con- stituent factors. This is complicated, since HRQL is Quality of Life Research (2006) 15: 93–102 Ó Springer 2006 DOI 10.1007/s11136-005-0448-8