Lupus & antiphospholipid syndrome
Addressing Economic Insecurities Can Improve Patient‐Reported Outcomes in Lupus
Authors' conclusion
Although economic insecurities negatively affect PROs in SLE, a systematic approach to assess and address economic insecurities in clinics can improve PROs over time in SLE.
Study context
- Population
- Patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), Collaborative Lupus Clinics, University of Wisconsin-Madison, routinely screened for economic insecurities and meeting a social worker (SW) during visitsmean age 47 y
- Participants
- 222 patients
- Exposure
- Economic insecurity score vs PROMIS Global Health T scores; Patient-reported outcomes (PROs) before vs after SW intervention
- Outcome
- Associations between economic insecurities and PROs (PROMIS Global Health Short Form T scores)
Methodological detailssingle-centre, multivariable linear regression, clinic data repository
- Single-centre
- Multivariable linear regression
- Clinic data repository
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
PRO T score change per 1-point increase in economic insecurity score
Physical health
−1.85
P = 0.04
Mental health
−1.32
P = 0.17
Social function
−0.24
P = 0.03
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Further findings
Prevalence of at least one economic insecurity
- ≥1 economic insecurity
- 16%
Physical health lowering by number of economic insecurities
Points
- ≥1 insecurity
- 2.00
- ≥2 insecurities
- 3.86
- ≥3 insecurities
- 9.10
Economic insecurities plus Medicaid/no insurance
- Two times lower PRO scores in all domains
PRO improvement following SW intervention
Points
- Domain 1
- 4.52
- Domain 2
- 1.12
- Domain 3
- 0.69
- Improved in all domains
Original publication
Addressing Economic Insecurities Can Improve Patient‐Reported Outcomes in Lupus. Arthritis Care Res (Hoboken). Published 25 March 2026. doi:10.
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