Self-perceived disease activity was the strongest predictor of COVID-19 pandemic-related concerns in young people with autoimmune rheumatic diseases, irrespective of their gender, with females reporting higher concerns

OBJECTIVES: We report the results of a pilot young patient survey that targeted patients with JSLE and JDM, exploring well-being, resilience and general concern about the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic as well as self-assessment of disease activity. METHODS: The survey was completed anonymously by patients who had been approached via the automatically generated hospital database between June and December 2020. In addition to disease characteristics, geographic location, education and employment level, we explored young patients’ resilience, mood and feelings, mental well-being, self-assessed disease activity and general COVID-19 concerns using validated tools and visual analogue scales. RESULTS: This pilot study found that self-perceived disease activity was the strongest predictor of COVID-19 concern, irrespective of gender, employment and education status or well-being and resilience. Generalized concerns regarding the COVID-19 pandemic were significantly higher in females, although their self-reported DASs were comparable to male respondents. CONCLUSION: Our findings highlight a gender bias in the generalized concern related to the COVID-19 pandemic, irrespective of the examined potential confounders. This suggests the need for further research around young patient self-reported outcomes outside hospital visits, especially in the context of gender differences and potential challenges of future pandemics.