Abstract
The purpose of this pilot study was to describe daily-living habits of Native American women with chronic diseases. The participants were 14 females who were either healthy (the control group) or had rheumatoid arthritis (RA), diabetes mellitus (DM), or both (RA+DM). Participants underwent an evaluation of joint motion and were interviewed regarding daily-living routines and habits, and social and family role integration. The results showed that participants with RA and RA+DM had more joint limitations, more disability, and less role integration than participants in the control and DM groups. Using the toilet was the first task of the day for the majority of participants. Most participants took showers in the morning, and the face was usually one of the first body parts washed. The order in which daily tasks were performed is reported for each participant.
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