Arthritis and other rheumatic conditions affect 42.7 million persons (60 million by 2020), and constitute the leading cause of disability in the United States. HRQOL measures arthritis outcomes better than mortality. Objective: To compare HRQOL of persons with arthritis and controls using the BRFSS. Methods: We analyzed 1) 35,917 respondents from 12 states using the core HRQOL measures and the optional arthritis module in 1996-1998, and 2) 5161 respondents from three of these states using both the arthritis and HRQOL optional modules. Persons with arthritis: having chronic joint symptoms or doctor-diagnosed arthritis. Controls: all others. Results: Persons with arthritis had worse age-sex adjusted HRQOL measures than controls, including mean days in the past 30 days of 1) bad physical health (5.9 vs. 2.0), 2) bad mental health (4.1 vs. 1.9), 3) unhealthy (bad physical and mental) (8.4 vs. 3.6), 4) activity limitation from poor physical or mental health (3.3 vs. 1.1), 5) pain (6.7 vs. 1.0), 6) depression (4.5 vs. 1.7), 7) anxiety (6.3 vs. 2.7), 8) sleeplessness (8.7 vs. 4.7), and 9) low energy (13.6 vs. 6.1) (all p values<<0.01). Conclusion: Persons with arthritis have poorer HRQOL than controls. HRQOL measures can help states track the Healthy People 2010 arthritis-related objectives and the goal to increase quality and years of healthy life. Learning Objectives: Participants should be better able to list measures to assess the HRQOL of persons with arthritis, and describe how these measures in persons with arthritis differ from those in controls.
Learning Objectives: Learning Objectives: Participants should be better able to list measures to assess the HRQOL of persons with arthritis, and describe how these measures in persons with arthritis differ from those in controls
Keywords: Arthritis, Quality of Life
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: None
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.