The Arthritis Problem Indicator (API) is a screening instrument for patients with arthritis. It can help identify patients having significant problems due to their disease and who may benefit from more aggressive intervention and closer monitoring. The authors are from Thomas Jefferson University and the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia.
The instrument consists of 18 statements.
Responses
Points
not at all
0
a little bit
1
somewhat
2
quite a bit
3
a lot
4
total score for impairments =
= SUM(points for the first 17 items)
where:
• The 18th question was an open-ended question unrelated to disease impact.
Interpretation:
• minimum total score: 0
• maximum total score: 68
• The higher the score, the greater the difficulty experienced by the patient.
To read more or access our algorithms and calculators, please log in or register.
