CLINICAL ISSUES The relationship between self-care agency, disability levels and factors regarding these situations among patients with rheumatoid arthritis Ozlem Ucan Ovayolu, Nimet Ovayolu and Gu ¨ lendam Karadag Aims and objectives. To assess the relationship between self-care agency scores, disability levels and factors regarding these situations among Turkish patients with rheumatoid arthritis. Background. Rheumatoid arthritis is characterised by severe to slight synovial joint inflammation that can lead to pain, stiffness and joint destruction with subsequent physical deformities, disabilities and reduced self-care. Self-care is an important com- ponent of comprehensive chronic disease management such as rheumatoid arthritis. If patients have high levels of self-care and adhere to rheumatoid arthritis treatment, it can be expected that they will have fewer symptoms and better functional capa- bilities. Design. A cross-sectional, design was used. Method. This study was conducted with 467 rheumatoid arthritis patients who applied at the Rheumatology Outpatient Department of Gaziantep University between September 2008–February 2009. The data collection instruments used in this study were the Demographic Data Form, Health Assessment Questionnaire (including disability index and pain scale) and Self- as-Carer Inventory. The frequency, mean, Student’s t-test, one-way ANOVA ANOVA, Kruskal–Wallis, chi-square, correlation and regression analysis were used; p < 0Æ05 was accepted as statistically significant. Results. For patients the self-care agency classification of 13Æ7% and 86Æ3% were ‘moderate’ and ‘poor’, respectively; while the disability levels of 12Æ2 51Æ2 and 36Æ6% were ‘mild’, ‘moderate’ and ‘severe’, respectively; and their pain average was ‘mod- erate’. It was also determined that, as the patients’ self-agency scores declined, their disability levels deteriorated even further and their pain levels increased even more. Conclusions. In conclusion we found that in Turkish patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis, the higher disability and pain rate were, the lower self-care agency score was. Relevance to clinical practice. Nurses should strive to provide individuals with RA the knowledge, skills and resources necessary for active participation in self-care, as this might promote the capacity for self-care. Key words: disability, nurse, nursing, patients, rheumatoid arthritis, self-care agency Accepted for publication: 22 February 2010 Introduction Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic, progressive disease observed in different frequencies in each region and race (Gisela et al. 1999, Jantti et al. 1999, Scho ¨ ffel et al. 2010). Generally, it affects 1% of the world population. In Canada and the USA the prevalence of RA in women is approxi- mately 1% and its frequency is three to four times greater than the frequency observed in men (Spector 1990). The standardised RA prevalence in our country is 0Æ36% and is similar to other Mediterranean countries (Akar & Akkoc ¸ 2006). RA has a negative impact on many aspects of affected individuals’ lives and is characterised by severe to slight Authors: Ozlem Ucan Ovayolu, RN, BSN, Instructor, School of Health, Gaziantep University; Nimet Ovayolu, RN, PhD, Associate Professor, School of Health, Gaziantep University; Gu ¨ lendam Karadag, RN, BSN, Instructor, School of Health, Gaziantep University, Gaziantep, Turkey Correspondence: Ozlem Ucan Ovayolu, Instructor, Department of Nursing, School of Health, Gaziantep University, Gaziantep, TR-27310, Turkey. Telephone: +90 342 360 60 60/76747 76757. E-mail: oucan@gantep.edu.tr Ó 2011 Blackwell Publishing Ltd, Journal of Clinical Nursing, 21, 101–110 101 doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2702.2011.03710.x