The effect of pain social support on kinesiophobia in older patients with rheumatoid arthritis: The mediating role of self-perceived burden.

OBJECTIVES

This study would investigate the role of self-perceived burden in mediating the relationship between pain social support and kinesiophobia.

METHODS

A convenience sampling method was used to survey 386 older patients with rheumatoid arthritis in a hospital in Liaoning Province. They were surveyed using the general demographic questionnaire, pain social support scale (SPQ), self-perceived burden scale (SPBS), and tampa scale of kinesiophobia(TSK-11).

RESULTS

Pain social support had a negative correlation with kinesiophobia(r=-0.336, p < 0.01). The self-perceived burden was positively correlated with kinesiophobia(r = 0.583, p < 0.01). The mediating effect of self-perceived burden accounted for 43.40% of the total effect.

CONCLUSIONS

The study had shown the mediating role of self-perceived burden to be beneficial in reducing kinesiophobia in older rheumatoid arthritis patients.