Arthritis Impinges On Quality Of Life

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Arthritis Impinges On Quality Of Life

by Carol & Eustice,www.about.com, Your Guide to Arthritis.

Pain and limitation affects quality of life.

Anyone who has chronic arthritis can tell you from experience that

the disease significantly affects their quality of life. A report

from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) confirmed

that which seems obvious to people living with arthritis.

CDC Report On Arthritis And Quality Of Life

The CDC report analyzed data which had been gathered from 1996-1998

in 11 states using the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, a

random telephone survey. The 11 states included Alabama, Arizona,

Georgia, Hawaii, Kansas, Louisiana, Missouri, Montana, New Jersey,

Ohio, and Rhode Island. Health-related quality of life questions

were asked of 32,322 people.

For survey purposes, " people with arthritis " were defined as those

having chronic joint symptoms or those diagnosed with arthritis by a

doctor. This determination was made by asking the following

questions of the survey participants:

During the past 12 months, have you had pain, aching, stiffness, or

swelling in or around a joint?

Were these symptoms present on most days for at least one month?

Have you ever been told by a doctor that you have arthritis?

People who answered yes to the first and second question were

considered " people with chronic joint symptoms " . People who answered

yes to the last question were considered " doctor-diagnosed " . All

others were defined as " people without arthritis " .

Of the group of people surveyed, 29% reported that they had

arthritis. Of that sub-group, 75% had doctor-diagnosed arthritis.

What Questions Were Asked About Quality Of Life?

The questions asked during the survey assessed:

General self-rated health

The number of days within the preceding 30 days when physical health

was not good

The number of days within the preceding 30 days when mental health

was not good

The number of days within the preceding 30 days when usual

activities were limited

The number of unhealthy days (the total number of days physical or

mental health were not good, not exceeding 30 days)

The Results

The results indicated that survey respondents with arthritis

reported having fair or poor health about three times more often

than survey respondents without arthritis. Compared to people

without arthritis, the people with arthritis reported on average the

following for the 30 days preceding the survey:

4.2 more days when physical health was not good

1.6 more days when mental health was not good

4.6 more unhealthy days

2.3 more days when usual activities were limited

Women, younger persons, and people without a college education

experienced the largest number of unhealthy days. Among women and

younger persons, the unhealthy days were associated with more bad

mental health days. The CDC report linked depression to all types of

arthritis, with the greatest link to rheumatoid arthritis.

By the year 2020, it is estimated that 60 million Americans will be

afflicted with arthritis or one of the rheumatic diseases. Proper

diagnosis, an appropriate treatment plan, and emotional support must

work in conjunction for the person with arthritis to have the best

chance at improving their quality of life.

Arthritis imposes limitations and forces life-altering events to

occur for many people suffering with the disease. As quality of life

begins to diminish, the person with arthritis must reinvent

themselves, adjust their circumstances, and focus on whatever it

takes to improve their situation. The key phrase is " whatever it

takes " . Arthritis becomes a strange bedfellow but the person saddled

with the disease must learn how to best live " with it " and not " deny

it " .

REFERENCE:

Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report 2000;49:366-369