Changes in HAQ Scores over Time in Indigenous Patients with Inflammatory Arthritis

Objectives Inflammatory arthritis (IA) conditions affect Indigenous and First Nations people more than non-Indigenous people. Conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis, axial spondyloarthritis, and psoriatic diseases are more prevalent among First Nations people and have higher healthcare utilization compared to non-First Nations people. Our study looked at the differences that are noted at initial presentation and during treatment for Indigenous people with IA conditions compared to non-Indigenous people. Methods Participants are enrolled into the Rheum4U database. The Rheum4U database was first implemented in 2016 as a longitudinal database of patients with inflammatory arthritis conditions, including rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, axial spondyloarthritis, juvenile idiopathic arthritis, and gout. The database now consists of over 1300 patient profiles. We used a linear mixed effects model to identify the correlation between the Health Assessment Questionnaire (HAQ) score and time since baseline (Table 1). Table 1 Results There were 68 patients in the Rheum4U registry who self-identified as Indigenous. From the Rheum4U registry, Indigenous people were identified using self-reported Indigenous status. IA conditions included rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, spondyloarthritis, and juvenile idiopathic arthritis. Patients are 18 years old and older. Median follow-up time per individual is 26 months (IQR 9, 49). Average HAQ at baseline is 0.86 SD (0.79). The average HAQ score at baseline (time 0) is approximately 0.87. As time increases, the HAQ score changes by 0.00076 per month, but this is not statistically significant. Conclusion Among Indigenous people with IA conditions, there is no evidence that HAQ scores changed over time.