Introduction
Rheumatoid arthristis(RA) is a chronic inflammatory disease that leads to severe disability. In Australia, the estimated prevalence of RA is 0.6%. (Charles, Britt and Pan, 2013)
Amanda is a 55-year-old Caucasian female, who work as a part-time retail salesperson. She suffered from RA. Amanda live alone after the passing of her husband 6 months ago. She has 3 children who visit her occassionally.
According to the Erikson’s psychosocial development stages, Amanda is currently progressing through the seventh stage (Generativity vs stagnation). (Kail and Cavanaugh, 2011) The interview was conducted in Amanda’s apartment. Written informed consent was obtained before the interview commenced.
Biological Aspect Of RA
RA is a progressive chronic autoimmune disease. It is chracterised by inflammatory changes which occur throughout the connective tissues of the body. (Encyclopedia Britannica, 2014) The inflammation and thickening of the synovial…show more content… Every night, especially after a long day of activities, the pain make it difficult for her to fall asleep. Her sleep quality and overall quality of life is significantly affected as a result. Disabling joint stiffness after she wakes render her incapable of performing simple task like pouring herself a drink. These resulted in Amanda feeling angry and upset with herself as she felt like a burden to others. This is the major cause of stress and concern for Amanda.
Socially , Amanda mentioned the feeling of being victimised by her arthritis. Due to the the public’s inadequate knowledge on RA, she felt that the community viewed her as at fault for the coniditions. Sometimes, her co-workers even accused her of being lazy. All these result in Amanda qiestioning her self-worth from time to time. As signs of RA are not obvious, many also fail to empathize with the pain she is going through, leaving Amanda feeling