The study evaluates the psychometric properties of a Polish translation of the Brief Illness Perception Questionnaire. A total of 276 patients with chronic conditions (58.7% women) completed the Brief Illness Perception Questionnaire and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale. The internal consistency of the Polish Brief Illness Perception Questionnaire measured with Cronbach's alpha was satisfactory (α = 0.74). Structural validity was demonstrated by significant inter-correlations between the Brief Illness Perception Questionnaire components. Discriminant validity was supported by the fact that the Brief Illness Perception Questionnaire enables patients with various conditions to be differentiated. Significant correlations were found between Brief Illness Perception Questionnaire and depression and anxiety levels. The Polish Brief Illness Perception Questionnaire thus evaluated is a reliable and valid tool.

Objectives Illness perception is a cognitive representation influencing physical and psychological functioning and adherence in patients with rheumatic disease. Studies exploring illness perception in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) are still scarce and none of them have investigated factors determining illness perception. We aimed to assess illness perception and to identify psychological, clinical and sociodemographic factors that might influence illness perception in SLE. Methods The study involved 80 patients with SLE (87.5% women, mean age 41.56 years). The Brief Illness Perception Questionnaire, State Trait Anxiety Inventory, Beck Depression Inventory, Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, Visual Analogue Scale-Pain and Fatigue Severity Scale were used. Clinical and sociodemographic data were collected via structured interview and medical files review. Results Illness perception was significantly positively correlated with anxiety, depression, sleep quality, fatigue and pain while it was not related to age, education, steroid treatment, disease duration and activity (SLEDAI) or organ damage (SLICC/ACR). Regression analysis revealed that state anxiety and depression explained 43% of illness perception variance. Cluster analysis identified three patient groups among which the middle-aged group had the most negative illness perception, the highest levels of anxiety, depression, pain and fatigue, and the poorest sleep quality. Conclusions The study has proved a significant relationship between negative illness perception and anxiety and depression. Patients reporting fatigue, poor sleep and pain might have special needs in terms of psychological intervention focused on negative illness perception and distress symptoms. Multidisciplinary care in managing SLE seems to be of great importance.

Background. Systemic lupus erythematosus (Sle) is a chronic, multi-organ disease that significantly impacts patients' psychological functioning. learned helplessness (lH) and illness perception have been proven to influence patients' emotional and physical state and treatment adherence. Objectives. the study is aimed at exploring learned helplessness and its relationship with illness perception, depression and anxiety among patients with Sle. Material and methods. the participants were 59 outpatients diagnosed with Sle (55 women, mean age: 45.0 ± 11.7 years; mean Sle duration 11.1 years). the rheumatology Helplessness index (rHi), Brief illness Perception Questionnaire (B-iPQ), Hospital anxiety and depression Scale (HadS) were used. a structured interview and a review of medical files were used to gather clinical and sociodemographic data. Results. learned helplessness was significantly positively correlated with the illness perception total score (r = 0.609), as well as illness consequences (r = 0.432), identity (r = 0.385), concern (r = 0.473) and emotional response (r = 0.543). depression and anxiety levels were also significantly correlated with lH (r = 0.588 and r = 0.472, respectively). no significant associations were observed between lH and age, age at diagnosis, duration of the disease, disease activity, gender, education and employment status. Conclusions. 1. in patients with Sle, learned helplessness is related to experiencing more severe consequences and symptoms of Sle, as well as more intense concerns and negative emotions related to the disease. 2. Psychotherapeutic intervention aimed at patient empowerment and modification of negative cognitions seems vital in order to diminish negative psychological functioning. 3. treatment and self-management aimed at better symptoms control and minimizing the consequences of illness may contribute to less negative cognitive and emotional illness representations.

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The aim of the present study was to assess and compare illness perception of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) held by 6th-year medical students and patients suffering from SLE. The study group consisted of 104 students (66 women; 63.5 %), mean age 24.7 (±1), and 64 outpatients with SLE (60 women; 93.7 %). All patients were treated at a university rheumatology outpatient clinic. Mean patients' age was 44.3 years (±12.5). Mean duration of the disease was 11 years (±6.8). The Polish version of Brief Illness Perception Questionnaire (B-IPQ) was used to assess five dimensions of illness perception. The students were asked to complete a modified version of B-IPQ designed to measure health professionals' illness perception. Significant differences were found in all but one B-IPQ scores. The students obtained significantly higher scores than the SLE patients in consequences, identity, concern and emotional response, whereas significantly lower scores in personal control, treatment control and understanding were noted among students. No differences were found in timeline scores. Medical students' perception of SLE is more threatening and more negative than that of patients'. Doctors-to-be perceive SLE as being less controllable, more burdensome and having more consequences than patients do. Additionally, they believe the disease causes more emotional concern. The article discusses possible explanations together with positive and negative aspects of the discrepancies.