(Download) "Characteristics of Subjects Self-Reporting Arthritis in a Population Health Survey: Distinguishing Between Types of Arthritis (Quantitative Research) (Report)" by Canadian Journal of Public Health ~ eBook PDF Kindle ePub Free
eBook details
- Title: Characteristics of Subjects Self-Reporting Arthritis in a Population Health Survey: Distinguishing Between Types of Arthritis (Quantitative Research) (Report)
- Author : Canadian Journal of Public Health
- Release Date : January 01, 2009
- Genre: Law,Books,Professional & Technical,
- Pages : * pages
- Size : 303 KB
Description
Arthritis is the blanket term for a range of illnesses with widely varying prognoses, osteoarthritis (OA) and rheumatoid arthritis (RA) being the most common. (1) Arthritis is one of the most prevalent chronic health conditions in North America and a leading cause of morbidity, functional disability and health care utilization. (2,3) According to the 2002-2003 Canadian Community Health Survey (CCHS), 17.6% of Canadians report having arthritis, and its projected prevalence for 2021 is expected to reach between 21% and 26%. (2-4) There is an urgent need to qualify, quantify and clarify many facets of arthritis and its subtypes. Researchers often use self-reported arthritis data from epidemiological surveys to address questions about the disease. However, not all surveys ask respondents to specify their type of arthritis. (5) This is problematic, because arthritis subtypes have a distinct pathogenesis, as well as functional, health and economic impacts. For example, those with RA have been shown to have higher risks of major vascular events, to experience more daily pain and to be more likely to suffer from depression than those with OA. (6-8) By bundling all joint problems under the same term, researchers risk misinterpretations of their findings that may induce public health decisions not applicable to all arthritis subgroups.