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Press
Release... August 20, 2003
Media Contact: Joe Stuteville "Lifestyle Changes can Loosen Chains for Hoosiers with Arthritis" INDIANAPOLIS – More than a third of Indiana’s population has arthritis, the inflammation of joints. It’s estimated that 1.7 million Hoosiers get that jolting reminder when they roll out of bed, climb stairs, write a letter or get out of a chair. Arthritis is not a single disease. It is a term for more than 100 conditions that involve the joints and surrounding tissues. Arthritis is one of the leading causes of disability among Americans, and a new state initiative is addressing the problem. Though the common image of someone with arthritis is an elderly person, 70 percent of state residents with arthritis are working age (18 to 64 years). The Indiana Arthritis Initiative (IAI), launched by the Indiana State Department of Health and coordinated through its Chronic Disease Division, seeks to boost awareness and education among people with arthritis and groups at high risk of developing it, including medically underserved populations. Their message is that people can take action to reduce arthritis-related pain and loss of function. Another goal is to strengthen and support clinical practices of health-care providers serving patients with arthritis. “There are ways to combat arthritis and reduce its debilitating effects,” says State Health Commissioner Greg A. Wilson, M.D. “Low-impact physical activity like walking or swimming can improve mobility and reduce pain for people with arthritis. Maintaining an ideal body weight can also reduce the risk of developing certain forms of arthritis.” Initiative members recently completed The Indiana Arthritis Strategic Action Plan, a work plan for improving arthritis awareness and management in Indiana, and the report, Arthritis and Indiana: Our State’s Burden, detailing demographics of who has arthritis, the many ways arthritis affects quality of life for individuals and families, and the economic problems associated with the disease. IAI steering committee members include several faculty members of the Indiana University School of Medicine: committee chair Douglas B. McKeag, M.D., chairman of the Department of Family Medicine; Greg Steele, Ph.D., associate professor; Department of Public Health; Rose Fife, M.D., associate dean for research and director of the IU Center for Excellence in Women’s Health; and Javier F. Sevilla Martir, M.D., assistant professor of clinical family medicine. William S. Quillen, Ph.D., director of the physical therapy program at the Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis also serves on the committee. “The actions to manage and prevent arthritis also are beneficial in preventing and controlling chronic diseases like heart disease, stroke, cancer and diabetes,” says Dr. McKeag. “Many of these lifestyle changes could be initiated at home.” Representatives from the Arthritis Foundation, AARP, Family and Social Services Administration, Purdue University Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering, and other organizations serving people affected by arthritis are also involved in IAI. The Indiana Arthritis Strategic Action Plan is posted on the State Department of Health Web site at www.in.gov/isdh. Click on the Plan graphic. Arthritis and Indiana: Our State’s Burden is posted on the web site under “Data and Statistics.” ### |
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