THE PREVALENCE AND SOCIO-DEMOGRAPHIC PREDICTORS OF RHEUMATIOD ARTRITIS

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) disease seems to have the major and most prevalent contributory factor to deformity and serious functional disability among patients, if not well managed (making the condition of a social significance). The disease is capable of developing in adults including adolescents and children ¿15 years which has given rise to juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis cases. Both males and females are predisposed to rheumatoid arthritis but the females are at a higher risk. Auto immune diseases, of which rheumatoid arthritis is one, are more common in women due to activities of some sort of hormone. It is the 4th leading cause of disability in women Sokka (2009). The disease development of Rheumatoid arthritis occurs through a complex interaction between genes, environmental factors, and immunity. For a substantial number of Rheumatoid arthritis patients, the disease is characterized by the occurrence of autoantibodies in serum, which are used to predict the disease course and treatment responds. Several environmental and life style factors are involved in the development of Rheumatoid arthritis.