Individuals who are considered overweight and obese are at an increased risk for arthritis. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), “excess weight can contribute to both the onset and progression of knee osteoarthritis”. Obesity is also a risk factor for other health conditions, such as heart disease, diabetes, and high blood pressure. Being obese with some of these diseases increases your chances of decreased quality of life, serious health issues, and may even lead to death.
Today, November 8, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released their Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR). This week’s report contains important information for the arthritis community. A report was released on regular activities that were limited for persons self-reporting as diagnosed with arthritis. The report, Prevalence of Doctor-Diagnosed Arthritis and Arthritis-Attributable Activity Limitation – United States, 2010-2012, looks at national data from the 2010-2012 National Health Interview Survey. According to this survey, over 52.5 million Americans have arthritis, and nearly half (43.2%) of those people are limited in their activities as a result of their arthritis. Nationally, many adults who have arthritis also have another chronic health condition like heart disease or diabetes, and nearly 1/3 of adults who are obese also have arthritis. Having multiple health concerns can impact your ability to engage in regular, daily activities. You can read the national report in full here. Check back next week as we look more specifically about the problem of activity limitations in Missouri, and how that impacts and connects with obesity, diabetes, and heart disease.
Have you heard of "Tips from Former Smokers" (Tips) before? The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) launched their first-ever paid national tobacco education campaign in March of 2012; new advertisements were released in April of this year and a third set of advertisements are scheduled to be released in 2014. This campaign featured emotionally powerful stories of former smokers who are now living with smoking-related diseases and disabilities. People who smoke and were thinking of quitting were encouraged to call 1-800-QUIT-NOW or to visit a quit-assistance website.
According to the CDC, "Smoking is the leading cause of preventable death and kills about 443,000 Americans each year."
There has been a lot going on with the federal government recently. With the start of open enrollment for the Health Insurance Marketplace, the government shutdown, the government re-opening, it's been a busy month. It can be really hard to follow everything, and to know exactly what's happening and what impact that may have on our lives. The National Council on Aging (NCOA) recently published an article entitled "What Does the Latest Budget Deal Mean for Seniors". As we progress through the next few months until the new deadline for a spending plan, this article may be helpful to know what's been happening and what we can expect.
With the opening of the Health Insurance Marketplace on October 1, there has been much media attention provided to the difficulty of navigating the website. There are four options available for applying for health care coverage:
The fourth option is perhaps the one that you may not have heard of. The assister is also called a “Navigator”. A Navigator can help you get information about health insurance options and tax credits and help you enroll in health insurance exchanges. For more information provided by Enroll Missouri on Navigators in Missouri or to find a Navigator near you, click here.
Last week, we wrote about “Living Better, Aging Well” in recognition of World Arthritis Day (October 12, 2013). When considering what it means to age well, it is important to consider what data is available to us describing how aging is perceived in the United States. For the second year, USA Today, the National Council on Aging (NCOA), and United Healthcare insurance surveyed U.S. adults for the United States of Aging Survey, published in July 2013. The survey contained a representative population sample from adults aged 18-59 and adults aged 60 and older. What this means, is that in comparison to the total population of adults in the U.S. who are in those age groups, a similar percentage of adults from each group were included in the 4,000 persons surveyed.
More than half of seniors surveyed indicated the importance of community connections, especially with family and friends. To learn more about what matters most to seniors in the United States, please see the infographic below, or click here.
October 12, 2013 is World Arthritis Day.This day, established in 1996 by Arthritis and Rheumatism International, is celebrated annually to raise awareness for the issues affecting people with rheumatic and musculoskeletal diseases (such as rheumatoid arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, and osteoarthritis).More than 1 in 5 adults in the United States (52.5 million) have arthritis.Arthritis can have negative effects on a person’s health, especially on day-to-day activities.With the holidays approaching, conditions like arthritis can really take a toll.Walking, climbing stairs, preparing for guests, playing with small children, bending to put things in and take out of the oven can be impactful on all of our joints.For persons with arthritis, they may be limited in their ability to do these things.
Next Tuesday begins Medicare's Open Enrollment period (October 15 - December 7). The Open Enrollment is a time for Medicare beneficiaries to review costs and/or coverage from their Medicare plan. Changes can be made to the health plan and/or the prescription drug plan.
With the Health Insurance Marketplace opening on October 1, and having a deadline of December 15 in order to get a plan by January 1, it could be easy to compare the two. And, it's easy to get confused! For individuals who have Medicare, it is not likely that they would also need to enroll in the Health Insurance Marketplace. According to the National Council on Aging (NCOA), if you are already enrolled in Medicare Part A and/or Part B, you do not qualify for health insurance through the Marketplace. More information on Medicare and the Marketplace, specifically for adults age 65 and older, can be found here. If you are ages 55-64 and are looking to purchase a Marketplace plan, but are wondering how it will work with Medicare when you are eligible, you can view more information here.
Since 2001, the American Chronic Pain Association (ACPA) has been working diligently to bring awareness to the problem of chronic pain. They have designated September as Pain Awareness Month. Additionally, Missouri Governor Jay Nixon proclaimed September 2013 as Pain Awareness Month for Missouri.
There are over 100 million people in the United States who suffer from chronic pain. Also, more than two million Missourians are living with life-changing pain; this is more than those impacted by heart disease, cancer, and diabetes combined. Pain is a major driver of health costs. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) estimates that pain costs the US $635 billion per year in medical expenses, lost wages, lost productivity, and other healthcare costs. Studies show that significant savings could be achieved through better treatment of acute pain, reduction in workers’ compensation costs and lost tax revenues, and a reduced burden of opiod abuse and misuse.
Arthritis resources are available throughout Missouri. Whether you're a patient, family member or volunteer, this site will help you understand and locate those resources.
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Watch this for suggestions about which pages to visit on this website.
Dr. Wendell Bronson talks about why the MAOP is a good fit for many of his patients.
CEMRAC Leader, Amber Phelps, talks about the many ways participants can benefit from classes.
Class participant, Suzanne Pfeffer, explains why she's stayed with the Arthritis Foundation Exercise Program for a decade.
Orvie Prewitt went from participant to leader to program coordinator.
Margaret Lindsey discusses the many benefits of participating in physical activity and self-management classes.
Doris Fountain reveals the newest arthritis program, The Arthritis Toolkit.
Learn How CDSMP Works - If you are interested in learning more about a CDSMP workshop in Missouri, please contact your local Regional Arthritis Center or email us at moarthritis@gmail.com!
