Objective To evaluate the clinical value of the mutidimensional health assessment questionnaire (MDHAQ) for disease activity assessment in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Methods A total of 100 RA patients were recruited in this study and completed the MDHAQ. Clinical data and involved joint function assessment were also collected. Routine assessment of patient index data 3 （RAPID3）was calculated using the MDHAQ. The correlations between RAPID3 and disease activity score 28 (DAS28), simplified disease activity index (CDAI), simplified disease activity index （SDAI） and clinical characteristics were analyzed. Results RAPID3 was correlated with erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), C-reactive protein (CRP), swollen joints count, tender joints count and overall physician rating (\P<0.05).The MDHAQ had a Cronbach’s α coefficient of 0.821 and a KMO of 0.576. Bartlett’s test of sphericity showed \P<0.001. RAPID3 was also correlated with DAS28, CDAI and SDAI, with a coefficient of 0.743, 0.697 and 0.640 （\P<0.001）, respectively. Conclusion MDHAQ is a reliable instrument for disease activity assessment in patients with RA. It is easy to administer in busy clinical settings.
