Rheumatic diseases have significant adverse impact on the individual from physical, mental and social aspects, resulting in a low estimation of health-related quality of life (HRQL). Patients with rheumatoid arthritis who receive a multi-disciplinary team-based care in a rheumatology clinic could get improved HRQL. Several factors can be supposed to promote health in patients with rheumatic diseases and in health-promoting work within the clinical practice it would be valuable to identify health factors that affect HRQL in a positive direction.

This is a longitudinal cohort study in 185 patients with rheumatic diseases with test one week and 12 months after rehabilitation on a Swedish rheumatology clinic. HRQL was assessed by SF-36 together with suggested health factors (chronic musculoskeletal pain, sleep quality, food habits, exercise habits, leisure habits, sexual lust, sense of coherence (SOC), social support and socio-demographic variables). The association between SF-36 subscales and suggested health factors were estimated by OR and 95 % CI calculated by multivariable logistic regressions.

Factors predicting better outcome in HRQL in one or several SF-36 subscales were being of younger ages or middle-ages, feeling painless, having good sleep structure, feeling rested after sleep, doing low effort of exercise more than twice a week, having strong SOC, having emotional support and practical assistance, having higher educational level, and having working capacity. The most important factors were having strong SOC, feeling rested after sleep, having working capacity, being of younger ages or middle-ages, and having no/small problem with sleep structure.

The most important factors promoting HRQL in patients with rheumatic diseases 12 months after rehabilitation were having strong SOC, feeling rested after sleep, having working capacity, being of younger ages or middle-ages, and having no/small problem with sleep structure. These health factors are important to address in clinical work with rheumatic diseases to optimise treatment strategies.