Background:

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic, progressive, and potentially disabling autoimmune disease. Self-care activities relieve symptoms and complications of diseases and reduce recovery time and hospital admission rates.

Objective:

To assess the association between functional autonomy and quality of life (QOL) in people with RA.

Methodology:

Descriptive, analytical-correlational, and cross-sectional study, developed in the northern region of Portugal, with a sample of 139 people with RA (79.86% women). The data collection instrument included a sociodemographic characterization, the Health Assessment Questionnaire (assessment of functional autonomy), and the EQ-5D Questionnaire (assessment of QOL).

Results:

The mean value of disability was 1.029 (moderate disability), with 48.9% of the sample showing mild disability, 43.2% moderate disability, and 7.9% severe disability. 90.6% of participants had a reasonable QOL, and 9.4% had a poor QOL. People with greater disability and consequently less functional autonomy have lower QOL.

Conclusion:

Functional autonomy impacts QOL, influencing it positively. Nursing interventions need to be adjusted to the needs of patients with RA to promote their autonomy.

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