People with arthritis who report more negative feelings about how they are aging tend to get less physical activity and perceive themselves as less healthy, according to a study by researchers at New York’s Hospital for Special Surgery (HSS) and Weill Cornell Medicine. However, self-perception of good health explained the effect of negative thinking – providing an opportunity to focus on an individual's outlook on aging as well as their overall health.

 "Many older adults with arthritis do not get recommended levels of physical activity," said Sarah B. Lieber, MD, a rheumatologist at HSS and leader of the study. "Our study suggests that self-perceptions of aging and general health may at least partly explain why."

Dr. Lieber and her colleagues presented their findings at the 2023 ACR Convergence meeting of the American College of Rheumatology, on November 13 in San Diego.

The study enrolled 99 men and women 60 years of age and older with self-reported arthritis in New York and Florida. Survey participants were asked to respond to questions about comorbid conditions.

Participants also were asked about their weekly levels of physical activity and completed a validated 10-item questionnaire about how they felt about their aging process. Questions on the survey explored both positive aspects (gains) associated with aging, as well as negative aspects (losses), covering topics such as motivation, limitations to daily activities, and a sense of physical energy.

The amount of physical activity people reported was strongly associated with their self-perception of general health, the amount of social support they had, and their feeling that aging was negatively affecting them.

"Our findings suggest that interventions to improve physical activity in patients with arthritis may need to target self-perceptions of aging, as well as general health," Dr. Lieber says. "For example, interventions could help older adults to challenge negative feelings about aging and to develop more positive views of their own aging process. Interventions also could help older adults to identify and address factors that are affecting their general health, such as chronic pain or fatigue."

To read the study presentation abstract, click here