The ‘Rheumatoid Arthritis Patient Awareness Initiative (PA-PAIN)’ research study co-facilitated a series of eight half-day workshops. Patient representatives, together with researchers and clinicians, helped to prioritise key research themes for patients with rheumatoid arthritis. Patient representatives also supported the design a survey which invited patients to share their understanding of their diagnosis and the routine diagnostics tests used in the clinical setting, as well as other topics including medicine adherence, disease flare, pregnancy and their attitudes to research studies. A patient directed symposium was organised in May 2020 in response to the research study findings, with the involvement of the TCD research study team, Arthritis Ireland and the Health Research Board.
