Pain. Sleeplessness. Anxiety. Depression. Not getting your medical needs met.
Those are among the top things people with arthritis say they struggle with most. And the magnitude of those issues comes through loud and clear in “A Mandate for Action” — a new report spearheaded by the Arthritis Foundation that captures input from 18,000 responses to theongoing Live Yes! INSIGHTS assessment.
这项持续的科学研究以患者为中心，以患者为导向，是美国同类研究中规模最大的研究之一。研究结果放大了患者的声音，从而影响和改变关节炎的未来。
这是第一次，病人的输入将现实生活中的数据带到前线，验证了关节炎患者多年来分享的个人经历。你们的故事总是反映了你们所面临的问题;但现在采集的数据以一种前所未有的方式强调了这些挑战的真实程度。
“I think the results are what those living with arthritis knew,” according to comedian and Arthritis Foundation partner, Matt Iseman.
As this report shows, arthritis is a serious public health crisis, affecting at least 54 million Americans. And the toll of living with this complex disease, in its many forms, is astronomical.
Ever-present arthritis pain leads to other problems. There’s constant fatigue and sleep disruption. 92% said pain interfered with their day-to-day activities. Two-thirds said it’s difficult to take part in family activities — and felt depressed and/or fearful andanxious.
In addition, arthritis patients have difficulty doing their job.
Getting the health care you need as an arthritis patient is another major obstacle. Less than half of respondents to INSIGHTS were satisfied with their health care experience or felt they got the help they needed, especially among those with lower incomes.
Clearly, despite advances in medicine, arthritis patients suffer from intense pain, are unable to engage in daily activities and don’t get what they need from our health care system. These ongoing findings are being shared with health care professionals, policymakers, corporations and other decision-makers — with our urgent mandate for action.
The findings aren’t surprising, but they are eye opening. As the CEO of a major medical device company that develops and markets treatments for arthritis has observed: “I thought I understood the impact that arthritis has on the lives of so many people. I did not. The impact of the data here cannot be underestimated,” shared Tony Bihl, CEO ofBioventus.
除了证实关节炎基金会在过去70年的工作之外，这些数据还将进一步支持我们目前的行动，并将指导我们未来的工作——推动我们的国家议程，同时改善当地社区提供的服务。
“These are data a lot of us have experienced firsthand, but now we know we’re not alone. We know how many fellow Americans are facing these same challenges,” says Iseman.
Patients in all 50 states have weighed in, and no community is immune from the effects of arthritis, though the challenges vary widely from one community to another. Lower-income patients and minorities suffer most. As data collection continues, these rapidly growing facts and figures will gauge changes in communities nationwide, so we can drill down more deeply on the support needed locally — and find solutions.
关节炎基金会主席兼首席执行官Ann M. Palmer说:“关节炎患者的痛苦、困难、孤立和边缘化不能再被忽视了。”“这份报告让我们能够与地方和国家领导人分享患关节炎的真实影响。关节炎患者的生活越来越少，而不是他们应得的生活。”
Your voice counts. What you add is imperative to changing the future of arthritis.Participate now— it takes only 10 minutes. Continue to report what you’re going through, to help measure gaps and the progress being made. In the words of Matt Iseman, “It’s a time for us to take action, to make a difference.”
