[Obligatory information of patients with rheumatic illness (300 cases)].

Since 1997, legal judgments in France have revolutionized the concept of patient information. Medical information must now be clear and include all serious risks of investigations and therapies. We evaluated patients' opinions after their medical examination and scrutiny of information cards prepared by the French Society of Rheumatology. A questionnaire was used to assess the effectiveness and comprehension of the cards, and their potential to induce anxiety. Written informed consent was provided by the majority of patients. The medical information was well received, especially in oral form, and was considered comprehensible but relatively stressful. Anxiety was significantly higher among female patients and patients who had never had medical examinations or procedures.