Objective. - To estimate the socioeconomic impact of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in Morocco.

Materials and methods. - We identified 100 consecutive patients (88 women and 12 men) with RA receiving follow-up either at a teaching hospital or from office-based physicians. For each patient, we recorded direct costs, indirect costs (productivity losses), and intangible costs (deterioration in the social domain of quality of life).

Results. - Mean age at symptom onset was 31±13.6 years and mean disease duration was 12.8±7.8 years. RA-related expenses caused financial difficulties for 90% of patients, resulting in poor treatment compliance (61% of cases) and school absenteeism in the children (19% of cases). Of the 34 patients who had paid jobs at symptom onset, 65% stopped working, 6.9 years on average after the diagnosis. Older age, male gender, and a physically strenuous job were associated with stopping work. Six women (10% of married patients) divorced because of their disease. Sexual problems were reported by 67% of patients. The ability to perform domestic chores was affected in 84% of cases and participation in leisure activities in 46% of cases.

Conclusion. - RA has a major socioeconomic impact on affected families. In addition to the disease itself, the low socioeconomic status of many patients and the inadequate social welfare and health insurance systems contribute to the burden.