BATTLE AGAINST ARTHRITIS GETS HELP FROM CDC

Arthritis is America's leading cause of disability, affecting nearly 43 million people, or one in six people.

But the more people know about arthritis, the more that can do to combat its debilitating effects, says Mary Ellen Ankeney with the Missouri Department of Health's Bureau of Chronic Disease Control, which operates the state's seven Regional Arthritis Centers.

To help with the education effort, the Centers for Disease Control has authorized $287,210 to be used by the Missouri Health Department.

That money is Missouri's share of funding to 38 state health departments by the CDC to reduce the burden of arthritis on Americans, said J.J. Nadicksbernd, director of prevention for the Eastern Missouri Chapter of the Arthritis Foundation."We applaud the U.S. government for recognizing arthritis as a major public health problem," said Mike Morgan, chairman of the Arthritis Foundation.

The funds were awarded to begin implementing the National Arthritis Action Plan: A Public Health Strategy. The plan is a comprehensive, systematic public health approach designed to reduce the occurrence of arthritis and its accompanying disability. To date only three other health threats have been addressed by such plans: cardiovascular disease, lead poisoning and infectious disease.

What's significant about the funding of the Arthritis Action Plan, Nadicksbernd said, is that in the past, public health emphasized conditions and diseases with high mortality, such as cancer, stroke and heart disease. The development of the Arthritis Action Plan highlights increasing recognition of the need to address conditions that affect quality of life."Arthritis is not often associated with death," Ankeney said. "But the economic impact of this chronic disease can be great." People with arthritis may be unable to work, may need assistance because of their physical limitations and treatment can be expensive and prolonged.

Arthritis limits the ability of 43 million Americans to lead a full, active live, according to statistics from the Arthritis Foundation. Research has yielded a better understanding of the many types of arthritis and effective ways to prevent it and its complications. Getting the word out about what people can do to live better with arthritis is the work of Missouri's Regional Arthritis Centers, which will benefit from the funding, said Ankeney.

These regional centers, called RACs, provide programs and services to professionals, individuals with arthritis, their families and the general public.

Marti Strum, who runs this region's RAC, based at St. Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau, said the regional center offers educational programs and literature on recognizing, treating and preventing arthritis for professionals and the public, runs self-management programs like self-help courses and exercise programs and has an assistive device loan closet.

Especially important now is information on preventing and delaying the onset of and disability associated with arthritis, Ankeney said."The prevalence of arthritis increases with age," she said. And with the large Baby Boom population passing into their 50s, it becomes more important to get the word out about what can be done to prevent arthritis, she said.

The CDC estimates more than 870,000 Missourians, about 17 percent of the population, has arthritis. By 2020, it is projected that 1,225,000 or 20 percent of the state's population, will have this condition. "Many people think you can't prevent arthritis, that it is an inevitable part of aging," Ankeney said. "But there are things you can do to prevent certain types of arthritis and things you can do to delay the onset of other types."According to information from the Bureau of Chronic Disease Control.

Maintaining appropriate weight can reduce the risk of developing hip and knee osteoarthritis.

Avoiding injures from sports activities, accidents or repeated motions on the job can reduce the risk for osteoarthritis.

Seeking early treatment for arthritis can help intervene in the disease process before damage is severe and possibly slow its progression.

Participation in disease management, self-help, exercise and educational programs can reduce the impact of arthritis and improve the quality of life of people with arthritis.

Arthritis costs an estimated $64.8 million annually in the United States. Ankeney said many of the prevention recommendations cost little."Staying physically active costs little, but can go a long way in preventing or delaying the onset of arthritis," Ankeney said. It helps keep weight under control, keeps joints from getting stiff, improves mood and reduces days of pain for those with arthritis, she said."You have to start with education and get people to look at their lifestyles and help them see how changes will benefit them," Ankeney said.