The Wisconsin Arthritis Program--a new partnership to reduce the leading cause of disability.

There are known and effective strategies to prevent arthritis, reduce symptoms, decrease disability, and improve quality of life. For example: Weight management and physical activity may lower risk. Early diagnosis and appropriate self-management may decrease pain. Arthritis Self-help Course, an evidence-based education program, may reduce pain and enhance self-management. The new Wisconsin Arthritis Program will engage citizens, health professionals, and organizations together as partners to reach more people in order to utilize effective strategies to prevent arthritis, reduce symptoms, decrease disability, and improve quality of life.

The state of arthritis in Wisconsin.

Arthritis is the leading cause of disability and functional limitation in Wisconsin and trails only heart disease as the leading cause of work disability. In 2001, the estimated prevalence of arthritis/chronic joint symptoms (CJS) among US adults was 33%, representing approximately 69.9 million adults. Wisconsin has established a statewide program to address this chronic condition. Prior to its inception, no state-based arthritis surveillance was available. The Wisconsin Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) first included questions on chronic joint symptoms and doctor-diagnosed arthritis in 2000. That data provides a baseline to describe the burden of arthritis in Wisconsin. This report summarizes the prevalence of arthritis and its distribution among Wisconsin adults. Proven public health interventions should be applied and new interventions developed to improve function, decrease pain, and delay disability among persons with arthritis, particularly those at highest risk for functional impairment and disability.

Obesity and physical inactivity among Wisconsin adults with arthritis.

INTRODUCTION: Arthritis is the leading cause of disability in Wisconsin, and affects approximately 34% of Wisconsin adults. Obesity is an established risk factor for arthritis; however, the relationship between arthritis and obesity has not been well characterized at the population level in Wisconsin. OBJECTIVES: Describe the relationship between arthritis, obesity, physical inactivity, and efforts to lose weight among Wisconsin adults. METHODS: Wisconsin Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System 2000-2001. Arthritis was defined by either doctor diagnosis or self-reported chronic joint symptoms. RESULTS: Overall, 36% of respondents had arthritis. Among adults with arthritis, 28% were obese (BMI>30) compared to 16% without arthritis. The prevalence of leisure time physical inactivity was substantially higher among those with arthritis compared to those without arthritis (27.8% vs. 19.2%). Although prevalence of obesity was higher among those with arthritis, only 46% of adults with arthritis made an effort to lose weight. CONCLUSIONS: A high proportion of adults with arthritis are obese and are physically inactive, even though studies have shown that weight loss and regular physical activity relieve arthritis symptoms. Efforts should be made to promote weight loss and physical activities among adults with arthritis.