Determining the factors affecting the continuity of care (CoC) levels of people with chronic conditions, is critical to enhancing the quality of health care and patient outcomes. The objective of this study is to identify CoC levels in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and the factors that influence CoC levels.
Methods
The study's sample consists of 440 RA patients. The survey was used to collect data for this study, which is a cross-sectional study. The CoC level of the patients was determined using the “CoC Scale.”
Results
The mean total CoC score was 60.19, slightly above the midpoint of the 0–100 scale. Multivariate analysis showed that disease-related parameters including drug regimen complexity, comorbidity status, receipt of RA training, and disease duration were significantly associated with CoC (p < .05). Additionally, socio-demographic characteristics such as educational level, smoking status, place of residence, and age also showed statistically significant associations with CoC (p < .05).
Discussion: The findings of the study are expected to provide significant data and information to physicians in order to raise the CoC level, which is anticipated to play a key role in enhancing treatment outcomes, lowering disease costs, and improving health-care quality.
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