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Arthritis burden
soaring, experts say...Action
needed now to limit impact, Arthritis
Foundation warns
ATLANTA, Jan. 2 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/
-- Arthritis is exploding in an aging
population of U.S. baby boomers and is
projected to increase by 40% in the next two
decades, according to a new study released
by the Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention (CDC) for the National Arthritis
Data Workgroup.
The report reaffirms
that nearly one in five U.S. adults (46
million people) have arthritis and an
estimated 67 million people will be affected
by 2030.
The study, published in
the January issue of Arthritis & Rheumatism,
found that osteoarthritis, the most common
form of arthritis, has increased to 27
million people, up from 1990 estimates of 21
million.
Other key findings
include an increase in gout (3 million
adults, up from 2.1 million) and a decrease
in rheumatoid arthritis (down from 2.1
million adults to 1.3 million).
The study also
estimates that 294,000 U.S. children and
teenagers under age 18 (or one in 250
children) have been diagnosed with arthritis
or another rheumatologic condition.
"The prevalence of
arthritis overall continues to grow in the
United States, which is not surprising given
that many of the specific conditions are age
related and the general population is
aging," said Charles G. Helmick, MD, a CDC
epidemiologist and a lead author on the
study.
"Increases in some of
the more common types of arthritis suggest a
growing impact on the health care and public
health systems," he said.
According to the
Arthritis Foundation, the news isn't good
for the nation's baby boomers or the
economy.
Already the most common
cause of disability in the U.S., arthritis
limits activity for 19 million of the 46
million U.S. adults with the disease. It
also exacts a hefty financial toll on the
country -- $128 billion annually.
"Even as the number of
people with arthritis rises, the level of
federal funding for arthritis research has
declined in today's dollar and intervention
programs that could limit the impact are
being underutilized," said John H. Klippel,
MD, president and CEO, Arthritis Foundation.
"We must reverse this
trend to avoid a potential public health
crisis."
The Arthritis
Foundation is working to help address this
ever-growing problem. The Arthritis
Prevention, Control, and Cure Act (S.
626/H.R. 1283) proposes to strengthen
arthritis public health initiatives, which
would ensure that more people are diagnosed
early and avoid pain and permanent
disability.
In addition, the
Arthritis Foundation urges the public to
take part in effective interventions and
programs that could reduce the impact.
These include getting
educated about managing your arthritis
through the Arthritis Foundation Self-Help
Program, and getting more physically active
through the Arthritis Foundation Exercise or
Aquatics Programs.
"We urge the American
people to contact their area Arthritis
Foundation for more information on arthritis
programs and to find out how they can
support the Arthritis Prevention, Control
and Cure Act by asking Congress to enact
this critical legislation this year,"
Klippel said.
For adults and children
living with arthritis, the Arthritis
Foundation offers resources for managing the
disease, including:
-- Patient education
materials including free brochures and
booklets
-- Community-based
health education and exercise programs
including Arthritis Foundation Aquatic
Program, Arthritis Foundation Exercise
Program and Arthritis Foundation Self-Help
Program
-- The national,
bimonthly consumer magazine, Arthritis Today
For information about
Arthritis Foundation programs in your area
or for a complimentary copy of the Arthritis
Foundation's "Arthritis Answers" brochure,
which includes information on preventing and
controlling arthritis, along with tips on
making daily activities easier on your
joints, visit the Arthritis Foundation at
http://www.arthritis.org/
