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Wa Can Be Done o Adde A?
Learn techniques to manage arthritis.
Sel-managementeducation programs such as the Arthritis Foundation’s Sel-HelpProgram can teach people how to manage arthritis and lessenits eects. Tis 6-week course reduces arthritis pain by 20%and physician visits by 40% or participants. Unortunately,this program is not available in all areas o the country. More widespread use o this program and similar courses, such as theChronic Disease Sel-Management Program, which addressesarthritis along with other chronic diseases, could save money and improve quality o lie or people with arthritis.
Be physically active.
For people with arthritis, physical activities
such as walking, bicycling, and swimming have been shown
tohave signifcant benefts, including reducing pain and improving
physical unction, mental health, and quality o lie.Te Arthritis Foundation Exercise Program, the ArthritisFoundation Aquatics Program, and EnhanceFitness are threeexamples o community exercise programs that have beenshown to improve health among participants.
Control your weight.
Weight control and injury preventionmeasures can lower a person’s risk o developing osteoarthritis. Weight loss also can reduce symptoms or people with kneeosteoarthritis.
Consult a physician.
Early diagnosis and appropriate manage-ment are especially important or people with infammatory arthritis. Recommendations rom health care providers are themost infuential actor in convincing people to take an arthritissel-management course.CDC is committed to leading strategic public health eortsto promote well-being, prevent chronic disease, and achievehealth equity. With $13 million in Fiscal Year 2008 (FY 2008)unding, CDC is working with the Arthritis Foundation, theNational Association o Chronic Disease Directors (NACDD),state arthritis program directors, and other partners to improvequality o lie or adults with arthritis.Tese eorts include the
National Arthritis Action Plan: A Public Health Strategy
, developed by CDC, the Arthritis Foundation,the Association o State and erritorial Health Ocials, and 90other organizations, to address the growing problem o arthritis.By implementing the goals o the action plan, CDC and itspartners are moving toward achieving the rst-ever arthritis-related national objectives outlined in
Healthy People 2010.
In addition, CDC is convening science, program, and policy leaders in partnership with the Arthritis Foundation to developa national public health agenda or addressing osteoarthritis, the
most common type o arthritis and a requent cause o disability and expensive joint replacement.
Te agenda will develop strate-gies or addressing osteoarthritis as a major public health issuein the next 5 years. CDC also will identiy model disseminationeorts that can be replicated in other states, as well as modelsor working with partners and other chronic disease programsat state, regional, and national levels.
Wa Acve Doe CDC’ A Pogamsuppo?
Te primary goal o CDC’s Arthritis Program is to improvequality o lie or people aected by arthritis. Te programachieves this goal by supporting the ollowing ve key activities:
1. Building state programs.
Over the past 5 years, state health departments have successully used CDC unding to build capacity in their arthritis programs.Tese eorts include creating new partnerships, increasingpublic awareness, improving their ability to monitor the burdeno arthritis, and delivering evidence-based interventions.Recommendations rom a 2007 expert panel are being usedto guide current state program activities, build on the lessonslearned by states, and guide eorts to expand program reach.Tese recommendations have led to a new approach o undingstates at higher levels to increase the eectiveness o stateprograms and to reach more people with arthritis in undedstates. Beginning in 2008, CDC gave 12 states (down rom36 in previous years) an average o $500,000 per year as parto a 4-year cooperative agreement (see map on Arthritis insert).Tis unding helps state arthritis programs increase the reacho CDC-recommended, evidence-based interventions. Statesalso are encouraged to apply innovative policy, communication,and partnership strategies to reach their program goals.
CDC’ repone
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