MO Arthritis

CDC Report on Walking Released

Last Friday, May 3, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released their Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR).  The report contained two articles of note for the arthritis community.  First, a report on walking among adults with arthritis was released.  The report, State-Specific Prevalence of Walking Among Adults With Arthritis - United States, 2011, looks at national data from the 2011 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS).  Second, an announcement was made in the May 3 MMWR that May 2013 is Arthritis Awareness Month.  To learn more about Arthritis Awareness Month, also known as Arthritis Action Month, please visit the Faces of Arthritis webpage.

Arthritis and Hip Implants

The hip is one of the largest joints in the body, with a ball-and-socket design— the femoral head (ball) sits in the acetabulum (socket)—connecting thigh to pelvis. The surface of the bones is covered in cartilage, which acts as a cushion and allows movement. In a healthy hip, a small amount of fluid is produced by a layer of tissue membrane surrounding the joint, lubricating the cartilage and eliminating friction.

Understanding Hip Joint Degeneration

Arthritis, or inflammation of the joints, affects at least 50 million Americans and approximately 25 percent of seniors. Over time, arthritis can cause deterioration in the joints. When weight-bearing joints are affected, such as the knee or hip, this pain is the leading cause of disability and joint replacement surgery in the United States.

Osteoarthritis, a degenerative joint disease, is the most common form of arthritis. Osteoarthritis affects the cartilage surrounding the joint. Pain may be steady or intermittent, accompanied by swelling or stiffness at particular times of the day, and some people can even hear or feel the crunching of bones rubbing together.

Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic autoimmune disease, where the body’s immune system attacks and can even destroy healthy joints. The inflamed area is usually the tissue lining the joint, causing irritation and damage to the cartilage, pain, swelling and stiffness as well as decreased range of motion. The ability to perform normal everyday activities may be impaired.

When the cartilage is broken down by arthritis, the bones rub together causing joints to become swollen or stiff and function to become limited and painful. This inflammation is prompted by the development of bone spurs, or bone overgrowth, and an increased production of fluid in the joint, which further impairs function.

Hip Replacement Surgery

Hip replacement surgery can offer restored mobility and eliminate joint pain, and is recommended for those who have hip pain that is limiting to daily life and unresponsive to conservative treatments.

In hip replacement surgery, the damaged hip joint is removed and replaced with a prosthetic implant. A metal stem with a metal or ceramic ball placed on the top is fitted into the center of the thighbone, replacing the femoral head. The damaged cartilage of the acetabulum is removed and replaced with a socket that is secured with screws or cement. A plastic, ceramic or metal insert is placed between the prosthetic ball and socket to allow for smooth range of motion.

Particular attention must be paid to the type of hip implant being used. The flawed design of several metal-on-metal hip implants, including the DePuy ASR and Stryker Rejuvenate and ABGII, has led to serious complications. Implanted in thousands of Americans before being recalled, these hip implants can cause patients to develop toxic levels of metal in the tissues and blood stream, can cause tissue loss and bone death and are likely to fail early, necessitating revision surgery.

Patients should speak with their doctor about using an implant that contains components made from a variety of materials.

Linda Grayling writes for Drugwatch.com. Linda has a number of professional interests, including keeping up with the latest developments in the medical field.

New MOArthritis.org Feature! Self-Management Toolkit

Many people are affected by one or more chronic health condition, such as arthritis, asthma, diabetes, heart disease, and high blood pressure.  There are also many family members who act as a caregiver for individuals affected by a chronic disease.  Actively engaging in one’s health, through self-management techniques and physical activities, can help to improve quality of life.

The Missouri Arthritis and Osteoporosis Program has put together an online toolkit of resources that may be helpful to individuals with chronic health problems and their caregivers.  Participants of the Chronic Disease Self-Management Program offered in Missouri will recognize some common themes toward self-management: understanding emotions, engaging in healthy eating, managing pain, and problem-solving.  These are just a few of the tools found in our self-management toolkit.

Take a look at this resource and see if there are one or two resources that are especially helpful for you or someone you know who is either an individual with chronic health problems or their caregiver.  This Self-Management Toolkit is an ongoing resource and will be updated regularly with new resources.  If you would like more suggestions on specific activities or techniques for self-management and physical activities, please contact your Regional Arthritis Center Coordinator or the Missouri Arthritis and Osteoporosis Program.  If you have additional resources you think could be helpful to other individuals with chronic health conditions or their caregivers, please contact the Missouri Arthritis and Osteoporosis Program.

New Online Program for People with Diabetes

If you have heard of or participated in Stanford University's Chronic Disease Self-Management Program (CDSMP), you may also be aware that Stanford also has a Diabetes Self-Management Program.  Both of these programs are delivered over six weeks in 2-2.5 hour sessions in group, in-person settings. 

A new course opportunity is available in an online, group format for people with diabetes.  An online version of the Diabetes Self-Management Program, Healthier Living with Diabetes is available through Stanford.  The program, more commonly known as Better Choices, Better Health Diabetes, is being pilot tested currently by the National Council on Aging.  Participants are able to enroll for free.

To learn more about Better Choices, Better Health Diabetes, please view a promotional flyer here.  If you would like to sign-up to participate in this program, please go to the sign-up page here.

Free Missouri Tobacco Quitline

The Missouri Tobacco Quitline was highlighted in the Center's for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) journal Preventing Chronic Disease.  A peer-reviewed research article "State Quitlines and Cessation Patterns Among Adults with Selected Chronic Diseases in 15 States, 2005-2008" was published in the December 2012, Volume 9 of the Preventing Chronic Disease journal.

This article talked about a study done by a company that manages the quitlines for the 15 states, including Missouri.  Specifically, they compared individual's demographics, quitline usage, and quit rates among callers.  This study found that approximately 1/3 of callers were tobacco users with at least one of four identified chronic health conditions (asthma, coronary artery disease (CAD), chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and diabetes); it also found callers with a chronic health condition were less likely to quit smoking (Bush 2012).

In Missouri, you can call the Tobacco Quitline for free at 1-800-QUIT-NOW (1-800-784-8669) or can register online at www.quitnow.net/missouri. The Quitline is helpful for individuals with or without chronic health conditions, including those already mentioned, arthritis, and heart disease, to develop a personalized plan to quit smoking with the help and support of a trained coach. For more information on Missouri's Tobacco Quitline, please view their fact sheet here.

Arthritis in Missouri: BRFSS Update

Each year, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) administers a telephone survey known as the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS). Every other year, in odd years, questions are asked specifically pertaining to arthritis.  As a state program, the Missouri Arthritis and Osteporosis Program (MAOP) can then take this data and better understand the arthritis trends in Missouri. 

The Arthritis in Missouri: 2011 BRFSS Update fact sheet, published in November 2012 (updated December 2012) and based on the results from the 2011 BRFSS survey, has been uploaded to the MAOP Publications area of the  Partner Resources page.  It can also be accessed by clicking here. 

Arthritis Advocacy Update - Registration Open

Register TODAY for one of the following advocacy events in December

• Learn more about the recent election, the Arthritis Foundation’s priority areas and ways to get your voice heard!

Featured Speakers: 

• Laurie Markle:  National Public Policy Office – Grassroots Advocacy Manager
• Michele (Pfeilschifter) Guadalupe:  Heartland Region’s Vice President of Advocacy & Public Policy

Choose from the following options:

Wednesday, December 12^th:  In-person workshop

• Where:  The Chateau (1601 Jumer Drive, Bloomington, IL)
• When:  Wednesday, December 12^th from 4pm – 7pm CST
  • 4pm – 5pm:  Registration/Buffet style dinner
  • 5pm – 7pm:  Advocacy Workshop
  • While the workshop is free, please register by Wednesday, December 5^th

• To register, go to:  http://AFAdvocacyBloomingtonIL.kintera.org/

Monday, December 17th:  Webinar from 6pm – 7:30pm CST

• To register, go to:  http://heartlandadvocacy.enterthemeeting.com/m/AFBJZUAI

Tuesday, December 18^th:  Webinar from Noon – 1:30pm CST

• To register, go to:  http://heartlandadvocacy.enterthemeeting.com/m/4X9EDO9G

**Please register for the webinars by Friday, December 14^th

For more information, please email Michele Guadalupe (mguadalupe@arthritis.org)

These trainings are supported, in part, through a grant from Pfizer

Learn more about Arthritis Foundation advocacy.

Self-Management, Research and More to help Improve Quality of Life with Arthritis

According to the AARP Public Policy Institute, the sixth most prevalent chronic condition in the United States 50+ population is arthritis. 17.4% of adults over age 50 have either rheumatoid arthritis or osteoarthritis, meaning the prevalence could be even higher when taking into account the over 100 other types of arthritis. 

Having a chronic health condition, like arthritis, can make it especially important to be aware of external factors that can affect your ability to receive the best possible care for your health.  There has been much talk in the media in recent months surrounding the Affordable Care Act.  It is important for individuals, including those with disabilities – such as arthritis, to be aware of how the Affordable Care Act can work for them.  The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has a website that contains many valuable resources to help keep us all up-to-date on the Affordable Care Act, including an introductory brochure.

May is nationally known as Arthritis Action Month.  Organizations, like the Arthritis Foundation, work to create awareness of arthritis, to dispel myths surrounding arthritis, and to initiate advocacy and action to change the course of arthritis.  This past May, the Arthritis Foundation published a document which helps to quickly portray the prevalence of arthritis. 

With the prevalence of arthritis in the U.S. being high, research is continuously being done to help provide answers regarding arthritis.  Research also helps provide better treatment options which can lead to a better quality of life for individuals with arthritis.  Researchers at the University of Missouri have developed a test to determine whether or not an individual is developing arthritis and which can potentially predict the severity of the disease.  You can read more about this specific research here.

Currently, one of the best treatments for improving your quality of life is to take control of your condition(s) through self-management and physical activity.  The Chronic Disease Self-Management Program, from Stanford University, is a six-week program that helps individuals with one or more chronic health conditions independently manage their symptom(s) and condition(s).  This group-setting program can be very beneficial to participants as they realize they are not alone in managing their chronic condition(s). 

Programs like CDSMP are not only beneficial to participants, but they are beneficial to health care providers.  A patient’s health can be improved when health care providers and community health agencies make connections to partner together.  When a team of individuals, with you as the leader, is focused on improving your health, your quality of life can be dramatically improved.  The Wall Street Journal published an article recently that focused on this concept; you can read it here.  Information about self-management and physical activities offered in Missouri by the Missouri Arthritis and Osteoporosis Program and their partners can be found here.

May is Arthritis Action Month

The month of May is celebrated as Arthritis Action Month nationally.  This month-long observance is an opportunity to take action to change the course of arthritis, whether it directly or indirectly impacts you and those you love.  There are many ways that you can take action, including:

• Educate yourself and others about arthritis
• Talk to your health care provider about arthritis symptoms/pain
• Learn about the ABCs and 123s of arthritis
• Donate for more research and program availability
• Engage in social media outlets to spread the word about the impact of arthritis #ArthritisAction #GoBlue4Arthritis
• Participate in self-management and physical activity interventions (or encourage others to learn about them!)

As the month continues, take time to educate yourself and others on something new that you've learned about arthritis.  Read new articles and materials that can help you understand a bit more about why self-management skills and physical activity is so important to helping improve the lives of individuals with arthritis. 

And, most importantly, don't let the end of May be a stopping point for taking action against the course of arthritis!

An A to Z Guide to Arthritis

One of the most effective ways to manage a chronic health condition like arthritis, asthma, diabetes, heart disease, or high blood pressure, is to become an effective self-manager.  The folks at Arthritis Today magazine have put together a listing from A-Z of 26 things you can do to get started on self-managing your arthritis. 

You may recognize some of the tips, such as:

J for Joints: "If joint pain becomes constant, interferes with daily activity and is not relieved by medication, it may be time to consider joint replacement surgery." and

M for Movement: "Regular physical activity has a slew of benefits, including reducing joint and muscle pain and stiffness, increasing range of motion, boosting your mood and reducing your risk of other health problems, including diabetes and cardiovascular disease, which pose a particular threat to people with inflammatory forms of arthritis."

There may be a few tips you weren't aware of yet though, like:

G for Grapefruit Juice: "Grapefruit juice is the bad boy of breakfast beverages – if you are taking certain medications." and

Z for Zzzzs: "Nothing is quite as refreshing as a good night’s sleep, but if you have arthritis, pain or medications may make it difficult to get to sleep or stay asleep. One solution: Try changing the timing of your medications."

Read the article in full here at Arthritis Today's website.  If you have other tips that have been helpful for you, please post them below in the comments!