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July 1, 2026Journal of the Association of Physicians of India

Barriers to Timely Rheumatologic Care for Rheumatoid Arthritis: A Real-World Questionnaire-based Study from Karnataka Chapter of Indian Rheumatology Association (KRA)

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Authors

VSVineeta ShobhaSRSubramanian RPJPrakruthi J

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Overview

Multicenter cross-sectional study finds delayed referral increases disability and economic burden in rheumatoid arthritis, highlighting the critical need for early rheumatologic intervention.

Key Points

  • To assess referral timelines to rheumatologists and determine the impact of referral delays on disease activity, functional disability, and economic burden.
  • Multicenter, cross-sectional, observational questionnaire-based study conducted across 17 rheumatology centers in Karnataka, India (June 2023–July 2024).
  • Compared disease activity (DAS28, CDAI), functional disability (HAQ-DI), and healthcare expenditures between early referral (≤3 months from symptom onset) and late referral (>24 months).
  • Widespread out-of-pocket healthcare expenditure was documented across the surveyed cohort, with 1,120 participants reporting direct out-of-pocket costs.
  • Delayed referral exceeding 24 months was linked to significantly increased functional disability and greater financial strain, including a higher risk of catastrophic health expenditure.

Cite This Study

Shobha et al. (2026) studied this question.

synapsesocial.com/papers/6a86ee6dc026610cc182be22https://doi.org/10.59556/japi.74.1560
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