Study links partner support to better arthritis outcomes
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A pioneering Australian study has revealed that couples who tackle rheumatoid arthritis (RA) together experience better mental health outcomes and stronger relationships, challenging traditional individual-focused treatment approaches.
The research, published in The Journal of Rheumatology, examined 163 couples where one partner lives with RA, a condition affecting nearly 456,000 Australians and 18 million people worldwide. The study focused on “dyadic coping” – the process of couples working together to manage the challenges of chronic illness.
“Dyadic coping contributes to a sense of togetherness, encouraging couples to develop strategies as a unit to respond to stressful events, and it represents a protective factor for minimising the risk of divorce,” explains lead author Dr Manasi Murthy Mittinty from the College of Medicine and Public Health.
The findings were particularly significant given that approximately 35% of RA patients report experiencing mental and behavioural conditions, including bipolar disorder, mania and anxiety disorder, despite improvements in biological treatments.
“We found that supportive dyadic coping leads to lower depression, anxiety, and stress for patients, as well as improved relationship quality,” Dr Mittinty said. “In contrast, negative dyadic coping increases psychological distress and reduces relationship quality for both partners.”
The study marks the first time in Australia that researchers have examined the perspectives of both RA patients and their spouses. Participants, all over 18 and living together for more than a year, completed comprehensive surveys measuring chronic pain, coping strategies, mental healthcare and relationship adjustment.
This new approach represents a significant shift from traditional treatment methods. “For decades, the focus has been limited to reducing patients’ illness-related distress and improving patient outcomes,” Dr Mittinty said. “More recently, scientists have adopted a new approach into understanding how illness in a spouse can affect the couple’s relationship and the other spouse’s well-being.”
The research demonstrates that successful management of RA extends beyond medical treatment to include quality of partnership support. These findings suggest that including relationship-focused strategies in disease management could significantly improve outcomes for both patients and their partners.
“Our findings demonstrate the reciprocal nature of dyadic coping that transpires between patients with RA and their spouses,” Dr Mittinty concludes, suggesting that “integrating dyadic coping training in disease management may be a valuable resource for enhanced mental health outcomes and relationship quality of couples.”
Ritchelle is a Content Producer for Healthcare Channel, Australia’s premier resource of information for healthcare.
