Arthritis: A Public Health Problem

Arthritis prevalence in Tennessee ranks among the highest in the nation. It is estimated that 1.5 million, or one of three adults in Tennessee, have some form of arthritis. Arthritis has been portrayed as an old person’s disease, an inevitable part of aging that must be endured. In actuality, arthritis affects people of all ages. Forty-five percent of Tennesseans diagnosed with arthritis are under 55 years of age. Some forms of arthritis, such as osteoarthritis, can be prevented with weight control and precautions to avoid certain occupational and sports injuries. Arthritis can not be cured, but it can be controlled. Learning how to manage your arthritis can help decrease pain, increase physical activity, reduce physician visits and decrease stiffness.

The Tennessee Arthritis Action Plan (http://www.arthritis.org/images/chapters/tn/taap.pdf) serves as a framework for arthritis prevention and education efforts in Tennessee. The plan reflects the need to build the systems and networks necessary to address the burden of arthritis in Tennessee.

The state specific plan is in response to the National Arthritis Action Plan: A Public Health Strategy (http://www.arthritis.org/resources/ActionPlanInterior.pdf) which was developed in 1999 by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) (http://www.cdc.gov/arthritis/about_us.htm), the Arthritis Foundation (http://www.arthritis.org), the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials and more than 90 other organizations. It recommends a variety of activities to reduce the pain and disability and improve the quality of life of persons affected by arthritis.

The Partnership

In response to the Tennessee Arthritis Action Plan’s  recognition of the importance of partnerships to create opportunities to address the burden of arthritis in a variety of settings, the University of Tennessee (UT) Extension, Tennessee Chapter of the Arthritis Foundation, and the Tennessee Department of Health’s Arthritis Control Program have pooled each organization’s resources to expand the availability of educational programs and resources to Tennesseans, especially those in rural communities. With CDC funding available through the Tennessee Department of Health, 53 county UT Extension educators have been certified to teach the Arthritis Foundation’s evidence-based programs: Arthritis Self-Help Program (ASHP), Arthritis Foundation Exercise Program (AFEP) and Tai Chi.

Strategies

• To develop a cadre of county UT Extension educators who are certified Arthritis Foundation instructors in ASHP, AFEP and Tai Chi.
• To offer ASHP, AFEP and Tai Chi programs in rural communities through this network of UT Extension educators.
• To deliver these evidence-based arthritis education courses tailored to meet the health literacy level of participants.
• To participate in the use of evidence-based programs targeting arthritis education.
• To collaborate with other agencies (in addition to the Arthritis Foundation and the Tennessee Department of Health) and professionals addressing arthritis at the county and state levels.
• To disseminate arthritis information through media and places where people frequent.
• To promote the recommendations and resources of the Arthritis Foundation.

National Recognition of This Unique Partnership

This unique partnership has been described in the CDC State Programs in Action Exemplary Work to Prevent Chronic Disease and Promote Health report for 2005 (http://www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/publications/exemplary/pdfs/Arthritis.pdf) as a model for how to reach under served populations in rural communities. Through the statewide network of county UT Extension educators and funding from the Tennessee Department of Health, the Arthritis Foundation is able to expand its programs throughout the state.

Arthritis Facts

• There are more than 100 forms of arthritis. The most common types are Rheumatoid Arthritis, Osteoarthritis, Fibromyalgia, Lupus, Scleroderma, Ankylosing Spondylitis and Juvenile Arthritis.
• Arthritis affects 70 million Americans, that mean's 1 in 3 adults in Tennessee, or 1.5 million.
• Juvenile arthritis affects nearly one out of every 1,000 children in our country, approximately 300,000 nationwide. Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis is one of the most common chronic illnesses of childhood.
• Arthritis is the leading cause of disability in our nation.
• Arthritis affects people regardless of age, race or gender. Nearly 3 out 5 people with arthritis are younger than 65.
• Arthritis costs our society more than $124.8 billion annually. This figure includes an estimated $42.6 billion in direct medical costs and $82.2 billion in indirect costs (lost productivity).

State Contact Information

For more information about this partnership or for a list of arthritis education programs available in your area, contact:

Great Arthritis Web Sites

To learn more about the different types of arthritis and ways to manage arthritis, check out these great Web sites (http://fcs.tennessee.edu/healthsafety/topics/p02.htm).

For more information about the UT Extension Health & Safety programs, please contact your local County Extension Representative.