CDC Report On Arthritis And 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.
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
- 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.
How To Improve Your Quality Of Life
By the year 2020, it is estimated that 60 million Americans will be afflicted with arthritis or one of the rheumatic diseases. For the person with arthritis to have the best chance at improving their quality of life, it is important that to recieve:
- a proper diagnosis
- an appropriate treatment plan
- emotional support
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
- 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".
Related Resources
Source: Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report 2000;49:366-369; Health-Related Quality of Life Among Adults With Arthritis --- Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, 11 States, 1996--1998
