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Abstract Background Recurrent hemarthrosis that begin in childhood lead to progressive joint deterioration. Patients with haemophilia have chronic pain, functional disability and a reduced perception of health-related quality of life. Purpose To analyse the perceived quality of life of adult patients with haemophilic arthropathy and its relationship with pain, joint condition, kinesiophobia and catastrophism. Methods Eighty-three adult patients with haemophilia were included in this multicentre, cross-sectional, descriptive study. Perceived quality of life (36-Item Short Form Health Survey), perceived usual and maximum pain (visual analogue scale), joint condition (Haemophilia Joint Health Score), kinesiophobia (Tampa Scale of Kinesiophobia) and catastrophism (Pain Catastrophizing Scale) were assessed. Sociodemographic, clinical and therapeutic variables and drug consumption for pain control were collected. Descriptive statistics used means and standard deviations. The correlation of quality of life with the dependent variables was calculated with the Pearson correlation test. The differences in quality of life as a function of the binomial variables were calculated with Student’s t-test for independent samples. Results Physical component of quality of life perceived by patients with hemophilia is lower than Spanish population (30.51 VS 48.85). Regarding the mental component, patients with hemophilia showed higher values (56.07 VS 49.97). Catastrophism correlated (p .05). Habitual and maximal joint pain correlated with all items except to role-emotional (r = − .19 and r = − .09, respectively) and mental component score (r = − .16 and r = − .07, respectively). Catastrophism and weekly drug intake were inversely correlated with quality of life. Age was positively correlated with perceived quality of life. There were differences in quality of life as a function of the severity of haemophilia and the intake of drugs for pain control. Conclusions The perceived quality of life of adult patients with haemophilia is worse than that of the Spanish population. Pain, kinesiophobia, catastrophism, haemophilia severity and the intake of pain-control medication influence the quality of life of these patients.